Experimental
by Ringles
Summary: They can't stand each other, so the real test comes when they have to work on a case together. Brian/OC Set after 2F2F - not including the 3rd or the 4th movies.
1. Mission Impossible

_Hey! I came up with this idea the other day, tell me what ya think, I might be a bit slow with this, I've got OTI which I really don't wanna get distracted from so soon!! So anyway, I hope you enjoy and don't forget to review!!:)_  
  
_**Disclaimer:-**_ _**I don't own anyone from 2 Fast 2 Furious, or The Fast and The Furious, they are all property of Universal Studios and affiliates. BUT........ I DO own Morgan Forrester and anyone else who hasn't appeared in the movies.  
**_

* * *

"I'm not working with him, there's no freakin way Bilkins!" she said angrily shoving a loose hair behind her ear.  
  
"And what the hell makes you think I want to work with you anyway princess!" he shot back at her and she scowled as Bilkins suppressed a chuckle as they were about ready to beat the living daylights out of each other.  
  
"Would y'all SHUT UP for a second!" Rome tried to break their vicious argument.  
  
"Don't dare tell me what to do!" Morgan fired at Rome and her eyes burned at him.  
  
"Yeah Morgan, why don't you shut up," Brian bit at her and she clenched her fists in anger.  
  
"Why don't you go and get fucked asshole!" she replied.  
  
"Take your own advice, and just answer this why are you such a bitch?" he said sarcastically and she was ready to give him a swift right hook.  
  
"Ok ok, would you two take it out on each other later, right now there's business that needs to be tended too," Bilkins said trying his best not to grin, but he knew it was time to break it up.  
  
A female agent had 3 folders full of information for Morgan, Rome and Brian to look over for the case that Bilkins had set for them. She had black hair which was lightly curled, she was wearing a tan coloured skirt which fit closely and a white dress shirt, she passed out the folders, she handed one to Morgan then one to Rome and then one to Brian who shot her a smile and she smiled back.  
  
"Slut," Morgan said under her breath but still made it audible. The female agent turned to face her looking shocked.  
  
"Not you sweet heart, him," she said and the female agent nodded and let out a small laugh as she went out of the room and Brian looked over at her and gave her the finger.  
  
"Ok ok, that's enough Morgan and you too Brian," Bilkins said sounding like a primary school teacher.  
  
"Let's get this done first, then you two can kill each other," he joked and he and Rome laughed. "Shut up Rome." Brian said angrily and Rome shoved him in the arm.  
  
"Can it punk!" Rome said back and Brian stared straight ahead fuming.  
  
"Ok as I was saying, there's a job I have for the three of you, and it is going to require that you all get along. I know there's issues here, but I need all three of you and there's no agents here better for the job, so Brian, Morgan, you're both going to have to sort out your differences and get along otherwise you'll both be out of jobs and I'm not kidding around," Bilkins warned both of them in a very serious tone.  
  
"What's the job?" Morgan asked quietly and broke the stern silence that had occurred.  
  
"Vincent Deluka, a top level drug lord has been trafficking drugs into the United States for years, he has a number of off shore accounts that hold the money he receives for each shipment he makes, this was a new development that we've only picked up on in the last 2 weeks, before that all money was shipped in cash, but now he knows he's got us breathing down his neck he tried to secretly set up accounts for direct wire transfers of all the money, but unbeknownst to him we have 3 agents working here in Miami as drug dealers, they were notified exactly 2 weeks ago by Deluka's men of the change to wire transfers, which was of great help to us because now we know where Deluka is hiding, the locations of the major accounts are from an offshore holding company in the Bahamas, which we then learnt is where Deluka's compound is."  
  
"So what, does this mean we're going over to the Bahamas to catch this guy?" Brian asked and Bilkins grinned.  
  
"Spot on O'Conner, the three of you leave in 2 weeks," Bilkins informed them and Morgan's anger had died down when she thought about getting a free trip to the Bahamas, she'd always wanted to go but her job was always the stopper.  
  
"What are we doin when we're over there?" Rome said as he was contemplating the downsides to the case.  
  
"We need two field agents and one observation, the two in the field need to infiltrate Deluka's circle and get as much incriminating evidence as possible to bring him down, because right now, we don't have enough to keep him in jail for longer than 2 years, and we want this bastard in for life," Bilkins informed them. "I'll go field," Morgan rose her hand and Bilkins had a satisfied grin.  
  
"I was hoping you'd say that," Bilkins said and she laughed.  
  
"Roman, we were hoping to put you in place as observation, we have a team of 7 other agents in with you, you're going to be undercover also and what you need to do is be both a field agent and an observation, just that your field work will be a lot less, you need to place microphones and camera's around and the like," Bilkins explained to Rome and he nodded.  
  
"Yeah I'm up to that," he replied.  
  
"O'Conner you're going to be out in the field too, you need to get in as a driver for Deluka and take it from there, Morgan I've set you up a job as Deluka's assistant, you're going to handle his finances and also I know that you might take a dislike to this, you're acting in as a personal secretary."  
  
"Hey I can handle that," she laughed and he smiled.  
  
"Good."  
  
"What's the catch Bilkins?" Brian questioned him.  
  
"What catch?" Bilkins laughed as Brian looked at him with an eyebrow raised.  
  
"I know you better than that Bilkins there's almost always a catch." Brian added.  
  
Morgan looked around at Brian and Bilkins before frowning and looking back down at the folder and flipping through the information.  
  
"It's only a small one, you're both going to have to work together a bit closer than you think," Bilkins said carefully and this caused Morgan to look up from the paperwork.  
  
"What's closer Bilkins?" Brian said he was starting to feel frustrated at how Bilkins was cashing in on him and Morgan constantly at each other's throats.  
  
Bilkins grinned, he was taking too much pleasure out of having the power over them.  
  
"O'Conner, Forrester, this is going to be a big test for both of you," Bilkins started, he was nearly nervous about telling them the next part.  
  
"Bilkins would you get to the point!" Morgan huffed. She was starting to get sick of the way he was dragging things on, she just wanted to get out of there as quick as she could, she couldn't stand being in the same room as Brian for much longer.  
  
Rome was curious as to why they hated each other so much, because usually the girls couldn't seem to resist Brian and for once he was getting put back into his place.  
  
"You're both going in as a married couple," Bilkins broke and Brian and Morgan leapt from their chairs.  
  
"WHAT!" They both screamed out in anger and shock.  
  
"Fuck this!" Morgan said her anger at boiling point as she stormed out of the room.  
  
"Forrester! You back out of this and it's your job this time!" Markham yelled after her after he'd walked in on their briefing.  
  
"Get fucked Markham, I'm not backing out!" she yelled as she stopped dead at the door.  
  
"This is bullshit!!" Brian yelled as he stormed out behind her, she walked along a corridor in a quick walk and went into the locker room.

* * *

She got changed from her brown low rider slacks and white, pink, brown, blue and black striped button up dress shirt into a Nike sports bra and a pair of Adidas shorts as she pulled her just below shoulder length chocolate brown hair into a high messy bun, she took off her black pumps and put on her trainers and walked into the gym taping her knuckles up as she lunged for the punching bag.  
  
Morgan punched until she couldn't lift her arms any more, she breathed out heavily and wiped the beads of sweat which gathered on her forehead with her arm.  
  
Morgan's deep chocolate brown eyes were framed by dark rimmed glasses, her long chocolate hair fell just below her shoulders and it fell with a slight wave to it. She was around 5'6" with a small frame and cream coloured skin.

* * *

"Yo homes, you ain't ever explained why y'all hate each other so much," Rome questioned Brian as he walked after him, Brian storming off outside to the car park.  
  
Brian turned to look at him from the side of his car, he banged his hand on the roof hard and groaned. Rome grinned as he went around to stand with Brian and next to his own car.  
  
"I can't fuckin believe this shit, Bilkins knows that I can't stand her, shit........why the hell did he put us together," Brian mumbled, he wasn't even noticing Rome next to him, he was too pissed off.  
  
"Chill man, just test it out, y'all might be able to change the circumstances, unless that Deluka dude knows already that you two are supposed to be married. Dude Bilkins is just havin fun, ask me, I reckon he's getting his back from you givin him attitude in LA," Rome said and Brian just leant on his car staring at the ground.  
  
"Yeah, man he'd wanna change it, cos I can't work with her, not that closely," Brian said and Rome picked up how selfish his friend could be.  
  
"Bro, do you hear how selfish y'all bein, what makes you think cuz that she wants to work wit you?" Rome said and Brian looked at him with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"You flippin on me now bro, damn, you're the one always preachin that I'm the one always in trouble about chicks, ya wanna take a look at yourself, so she does it for ya huh," Brian finished smirking and Rome playfully punched him in the arm.  
  
"She's not bad bruh, but not my type, she's got a sharp tongue though man, you were cut down BAD!!" Rome laughed and Brian shook his head.  
  
"Whatever, see your punk ass at Tej's," he finished as he got into his Skyline and Rome into his Toyota Supra.  
  
The FBI had to take the EVO and the Spyder for more case work after Rome and Brian had finished using them, Tej and Jimmy found a Supra and the talked Rome into buying it.

* * *

Morgan took a shower and got dressed again back into her work clothes, she chucked her stuff into a gym bag and slung it over her shoulder as she walked out in the late afternoon to the carpark and to her gold 2002 Mitsubishi Spyder hard top.

* * *

"Got another case brah?" Tej asked Brian as he stepped out of his Skyline and locked it.  
  
"Ya know the rules man, but I'm going in 2 weeks for a bit," Brian grinned and Tej laughed.  
  
"Where y'all goin?" he pressed on, Brian shook his head.  
  
"Man you know I can't say," he laughed and Tej grinned and patted his back as Rome's Supra pulled up beside the Skyline.

* * *

Morgan unlocked her door and fumbled with a bag of groceries she held as she turned the knob and kicked it open, her small house was dark inside from the lack of sun coming through the windows, it's small lounge room was painted a light blue with yellow trimming along the border of the ceiling, her creamy couch and timber furniture set off a perfect balance.  
  
She switched on some lights as she got into the front door and shut it behind her with a snap, she kicked off her black pumps and threw down her gym bag as she put the grocery bag on the bench of her kitchen and checked her phone for messages, there was one so she pressed the button to play it.  
  
'Forrester, it's Bilkins, listen if it really is going to be such a struggle for you and O'Conner to work together as close, I'll try and pull some strings for you both and change the details, I can't promise anything, but I will try, remember that I need you on this case, it'll make things so much easier on everyone if you're there, just do your best ok, de-briefing Friday morning at 10 sharp.'  
  
Morgan poured a glass of vodka and orange as she listened to the message.  
  
'How can they expect me to work with Brian, shit they know we don't get along, hard to think that we once did,' she thought as she crashed on her couch and flicked through channels on the TV.

* * *

"Hey Suki, what's going on?" Brian grinned as he kissed Suki's cheek and looked at the car she was drawing.  
  
"Hey Bullit, not much, how bout you?" she asked and he smiled.  
  
"Not much," he replied as she laughed and he walked in to the garage to talk to Jimmy.  
  
Brian left the garage a few hours later, he drove the few blocks to his apartment block and got out of his car and locked it up as he jogged up the steps and got out his house keys.  
  
He turned on the lights and shut the door behind him, the red light on his phone was flashing and he walked over to see that he had 2 messages waiting.  
  
The first one played.  
  
'O'Conner, it's Bilkins, I've come to the understanding that you and Forrester have some serious issues, and you both may not be able to complete this mission working as closely as once expected, don't quote me on this, but I'll do my best to try and get you both working a little loosely, but you're still on this mission, we need a driver and you're right in there, just try your best to be easier on Morgan, I'll talk to her and try and get her easier on you too. De-briefing Friday morning at 10.'  
  
'God how could they expect us to work together in the first place, we haven't had a civil conversation for 4 years,' Brian thought as the next message started up.  
  
'Hey, um it's Frankee, I was wondering if you're free on Friday night, maybe we could go out somewhere, well, give me a call.'  
  
"Oh shit that's right!" he hissed as he heard Frankee's message.  
  
Frankee Sanders was last Thursday's girl, she was nice, but he didn't know whether he wanted it to be more than a one night thing. He hadn't been in a steady relationship for 4 years, he'd gone out with Monica briefly, she wasn't all she was cracked up to be. Brian had only ever had one truly serious relationship in his whole life and that was well and truly over. It finished around the time he first started talking to Mia, and even though he hated to admit it, she was a rebound, he felt like every other girl he ever got with over the past 3 years was a rebound for the one that got away.  
  
He ran his hand through his dirty blonde hair and walked over to his couch and laid down and watched some reality TV shit that was on.  
  
Brian woke up again a couple of hours later and sat up. He'd dreamt the same thing again, the same day, for the past 3 days it was always the same, the same dream about the same person, it was starting to get on his nerves, it was over and done, he didn't need to go through it every night, but his mind had other ideas and seemed to think he did.

* * *

_**Los Angeles, California – 2001**_  
  
"So, how's she going today?" she bit icily as Brian got into bed.  
  
"Who?" he said, he knew where this was going and he hated it.  
  
She laughed, it was cold and seemed to some how drop the temperature of the room down 12 degrees.  
  
"Mia," she replied and he looked at her.  
  
"There's nothing going on, you know I wouldn't do that to you," he said and she sighed heavily.  
  
"So why does it seem like you are?" she bit back tears.  
  
"I have no idea, why do you think there's something going on when there isn't?" he said back, he felt like hell, he didn't want to hurt her like this, there was nothing going on and he was surprised after 4 years she couldn't see that and believe him when he said there wasn't.  
  
She sniffed lightly and had hot tears streaming down her cheeks, Brian's heart was breaking knowing that he caused them. He leant over her and wiped a few away.  
  
"Don't......please just don't," she whispered and he pulled his hand back and looked into her eyes.  
  
"I'm so sorry, but you have to believe me M when I tell you there's nothing happing," he said his voice was soft but he nearly felt his eyes stinging.  
  
"Brian... I, I, I can't do this anymore, I'm sorry, I can't believe you, I want to so much, I really do, but I can't."  
  
"Wait, what do you mean?" he said as he sat up and she leant up and wiped a few tears away as she kicked the blankets off herself and swung her legs off the side.  
  
"I can't do this anymore, it's going to be so much easier on me and you if we just end this, it may not feel like it now, but it will be," she whispered and he moved over and sat next to her.  
  
Brian just sighed he looked down at his feet and the floor and he couldn't face her.  
  
She stood up and hugged herself as little sobs wracked thru her. Brian felt a tear slide down his face as he never once let his eyes move from the floor.  
  
Her heart was breaking as she shoved clothes into a bag and pulled on a pair of old jeans over her shorts and a baggy t shirt over her singlet top.  
  
"I'm so sorry," he said and she slipped on a pair of sneakers.  
  
"I love you, I always will," she said softly as she walked out of their room and into the lounge.  
  
Brian stood up and wiped tears away as he followed her to the door.  
  
"We don't have to do this, I love you, we can get through it," he tried his best to persuade her and she wiped a tear away and walked over to him and looked into his blue eyes.  
  
"I can't," she said as she looked away and picked up her bag.  
  
She opened the door and stepped out into the early morning darkness, Brian heard her car pull out of the driveway.  
  
He ran a shaky hand through his hair as he went into the kitchen and then through to the bathroom and turned on the shower and got in and stood underneath the icy cold jet of water as he slipped down and collapsed on the cold floor of the bathtub.

* * *

He stood up and went into his bedroom and fell asleep. Praying not to dream about it again. 


	2. Expeditions

Hey thank you all for the positive vibes! Just hope that this chapter meets up to what the first one must have! I'll give it a shot! Personally I don't think this one is any good, like I thought the first, but anyway, see what y'all think and drop us a line and share ya thoughts! Peace out and hopefully enjoy!  
  
"Damn there's never any damn food in your house bruh," Rome said as he riffled through Brian's cupboards in search of something to eat.  
  
"Whatever man, go buy something then," Brian grumbled as he flicked through channels on TV and again found nothing on.  
  
"I'll go when you buy something, it aint' my house man!" Rome said and Brian laughed.  
  
"Get your shit man let's go I'm fucking hungry!" Rome finished and Brian got off the couch and turned off the TV.  
  
"FUCK!" Morgan growled as she fell back against her pillow. She dreamt about it again and it was getting on her nerves, she was sick and tired of thinking about it.  
  
It was all she thought about for the past 3 years and she'd had enough guilt and regret.  
  
"Get out of my head!" she groaned into her pillow as she lifted her head and checked the time.  
  
Los Angeles California – January 10 1997  
  
She walked up the stone steps and pushed through the doors to the busy station. Desks where scattered about and phones ringing off the hooks every couple along, LAPD seemed to be doing a roaring trade that particular day.  
  
Her long brown hair fell down and bounced along as she walked into the busy station, her eyes sparked and shone as she scanned around. She wore a fitted white t shirt and a pair of hipster dark blue jeans which fitted closely and had a bootleg. She pushed her black sunglasses up onto her head and looked over her new office.  
  
"LAPD," he said as he sat down at the desk and kicked his legs up onto it. Some old woman had rung up about her cat being stuck up a tree, he rolled his eyes and told her to ring the fire department as he hung up.  
  
"Forrester? Follow me, by the way welcome to LA," Tanner said as he led her over further into the station.  
  
"Thanks, I realise now this isn't much of a change from Seattle," she smiled and he laughed a little.  
  
"You'll be fine, ok, we've got your desk over there. I know you'd rather be out in the field, but because you're new you're desking it for a little while," Tanner explained and she frowned slightly but it quickly disappeared.  
  
"Hell, just as long as I'm not someone's coffee and doughnut girl I'm fine."  
  
Tanner laughed and pushed a door open and stood by it waiting for her to go through.  
  
She walked in and looked around, there were a few desks spread around, but not nearly as crammed as in the main room.  
  
Tanner stopped at a desk over in the corner next to a window and grinned at her.  
  
"Welcome home Forrester."  
  
"Not too shabby, got a view and all," she smiled and he grinned.  
  
She put down her satchel and smiled when she saw a little card sitting on top of her computer. She opened it up and read the little welcome message some of the girls from her division had left.  
  
"Don't hesitate to give me a call if you need any help, I've got some business now but welcome to Los Angeles Forrester," Tanner said as he walked off.  
  
"Thanks Tanner."  
  
He looked up from his desk and saw a gorgeous brunette walk in with Tanner, his eyes moved all over her as they walked past, he nearly lost his balance and fell back.  
  
"Shit O'Conner you'd think you ain't never seen a chick before man," Jason Howards laughed as he saw his friend nearly fall off his chair staring at a girl that had walked in.  
  
"Whatever man, who is she anyway?" he replied.  
  
"Newbie from Seattle I heard," Howards said back as he rolled his eyes at Brian who was still checking her out.  
  
"Mmmm," he mumbled as he tried to pry his eyes away from her.  
  
She looked 3 desks down and noticed a blonde guy who kept staring at her, she looked back at her computer and grinned before she looked back right at him with a straight face and raised her eyebrow.  
  
He looked away and started talking to the guy next to him as she laughed and rolled her eyes as she got up and walked over to them as she put her arms on his desk in front of him and leant over.  
  
"Hey blondie, take a picture it lasts longer," she said and he looked over.  
  
"Give me a camera."  
  
"Smooth real smooth, you got a name or what?" she said and he grinned.  
  
"O'Conner, how bout you gorgeous?" he said and she laughed.  
  
"Forrester." They shook hands.  
  
"Got a first name too?" he said and she stood straight.  
  
"Yeah but that's classified information," she smiled mysteriously as she walked off and just teasingly flicked her long brown hair off her shoulder.  
  
"Bro I don't know whether she's diggin you back or she's just leadin you on!" Jason laughed as Brian grinned.  
  
She got up and pushed him back out of her mind again, she didn't know how she was going to handle having to work with him and be around him again after everything that happened.  
  
She'd had other relationships but none had come close to what they'd had and she could never put her all into them because she always was stuck on him.  
  
Morgan got out of bed and went into her bathroom as she turned on a hot shower and got into it as the hot water and steam gently woke her up.  
  
She got out and got changed into a denim mini skirt and a white button up shirt with three quarter sleeves, she left the last two buttons undone to show a little bit of her flat stomach and she put on a pair of black flip flops and left her hair free to flow as she searched around for her glasses and put them on.  
  
Morgan snatched her wallet and disappeared out of the door and into her car as she drove down to the store to get some more groceries as she had been so angry the night before she'd forgotten some important things.  
  
She got out and walked into the supermarket, she took a basket and went down an aisle.  
  
Brian and Rome were mucking around in an aisle throwing around a small kids football. Brian went to make a long pass to Rome and it went past him and Morgan caught it and pegged it back.  
  
"Grow up would you O'Conner, how old are you?" she said scowling and he glared back at her.  
  
"Sorry we can't all be stuck up and bitchy like you your majesty," he replied and she rolled her eyes and tried her best to fight the urge to go up to him and knock his lights out.  
  
She shook her head and stormed off, Rome looked at Brian and shook his head as he went off after Morgan.  
  
"Hey Morgan you aiight?" Rome asked carefully as Morgan looked distant and fumed as she was chucking a few things into the basket she had.  
  
"Hi Roman," she mumbled and he looked at her, she was really angry.  
  
"Girl I'ma tell ya it's Rome," he said and she sniffed.  
  
"Ok."  
  
"He's just acting a fool man don't listen to his dumb ass," Rome said and she laughed.  
  
"Like I could give a flying fuck about that dipshit," Morgan chucked something else into the basket.  
  
"You can tell him that too if you want," she replied as she went to walk off.  
  
"See ya around then," Rome grinned and she laughed. "Yeah bye Rome."  
  
"What are you running around after her now?" Brian spat at Rome as he came back around.  
  
"Whatever man."  
  
"So what did little princess run her mouth about now?" Brian asked sarcastically.  
  
Rome laughed, "I'll quote this man, ok here it is. Like I could give a flying fuck about that dipshit."  
  
"Good choice of words, damn she's a bitch."  
  
"Bro ease up on her man, you're a bit harsh on her," Rome defended Morgan.  
  
"I'm harsh on her! Man you need your head read," Brian sounded shocked.  
  
"You never said why y'all are always looking like ya wanna kill each other," Rome commented as they got into his car.  
  
'I love her too much to kill her,' Brian thought as he decided whether to lie or tell Rome the truth of his and Morgan's history.  
  
"There's people ya get along with, people you don't, Forrester's one of them," he said broad siding around the truth.  
  
"Ok, that's the bullshit now what's the truth?" Rome asked and Brian didn't know what to do.  
  
"That is the truth cuz," he replied.  
  
Rome wasn't sure whether to believe him or not but he didn't want to see what happened if he decided to push things.  
  
Rome shut up about that then and decided it was best he didn't touch it. He knew that there was more to the story, it was obvious to blind Freddy that there was something that Brian wouldn't tell him.  
  
Morgan drove home and was lost in thoughts she couldn't figure out how she was going to try and keep herself strong working with him. Loving him so much and hating him just as much was bringing her further and further down inside and she couldn't take it anymore. She put down the few groceries she'd bought and packed them away. She paced around and sat fidgety on the edge of the couch before she got up again and walked into her bedroom.  
  
She stood in front of her closet door and rested her hand on the knob turning it slowly. She searched around on the top shelf and pulled out a black shoebox.  
  
Morgan sighed and pulled off the lid as she flopped onto her bed. She tipped it upside down and a few photos and letters and a silver chain fell out.  
  
She picked up the chain and held it up in front of her, it was one of his that he had given to her. It was a chain link and it was plain. She felt her eyes burn as she wrapped it around her hand and picked up a photograph.  
  
Brian and Morgan were on a beach in LA and he had his arms wrapped around her and she had her head resting in between his neck and his shoulder laughing and he was smiling.  
  
She cursed and shoved everything back into the box as a few tears slid down her face. She wiped them away and shoved the box back up on the shelf where it should've stayed in the first place.  
  
She fell onto her bed and lay on her stomach pulling her pillow over her head as she cried.  
  
"Bro tell me now, are you diggin on Forrester or what?" Brian asked seriously as he and Rome carted groceries up to his apartment.  
  
"What?" Rome said out of shock as Brian unlocked the door.  
  
"You heard me man, you're always chasin her up, like today, so do you or not?" Brian quizzed him, he didn't know what to think if Rome said yes, he knew he still loved Morgan, no matter what happened between them now. But he knew Rome didn't know about Morgan and Brian and he didn't want to tell him because he hated talking about it.  
  
"I'm not diggin her man, she's hot and she's a pretty aiight chick, but I'm not diggin her, what's your problem man, lately you've been in a shit of a mood."  
  
Brian groaned when he saw 3 messages on his phone.  
  
"Nothings wrong wit me bro, I'm fine, just sick of Monica calling me every ten seconds, Frankee called me the other day and left a message, man I like her, but it was just a one night thing and I don't know how to let her know," Brian sighed as Rome flopped on his couch and sprawled out tucking into a hamburger and channel surfing.  
  
"Man what I tell you, always getting in trouble over female!" Rome grinned and Brian laughed.  
  
"Shut up punk."  
  
"Just tell her what you just said, you like her, but you don't really know if you want a relationship or some shit like that," Rome finished and changed over to Dr Phil.  
  
"It's not that easy though man, I don't wanna hurt her feelings or anything but I don't wanna date her," Brian moved over and crashed into a one seater and looked at the screen blankly.  
  
"Man you should be on this show!" Rome laughed and Brian rolled his eyes and pegged a pillow at him, "or join the priesthood man, that one where ya can't have chicks, and you'll never get into trouble."  
  
Brian laughed and got up, "I'm going to bed again man I'm screwed, just let yourself out aiight, see ya tomorrow at the station bro," Brian ran his fingers through his hair and Rome nodded.  
  
"Aiight man, see ya then."  
  
Brian collapsed backwards onto his bed and got in under the covers and put his pillow over his head and groaned, the real reason he was pissed off all the time was because he couldn't get her out of his head and he couldn't get the guilt over hurting her out of his heart.  
  
Los Angeles California – June 17 1997  
  
"Do you ever think about where they came from, ya know how they got there?" Morgan said staring up at the dark night sky littered with silver stars.  
  
Sounds of grasshoppers chirping and the distant sounds of the ocean were calling out on the spring air.  
  
Brian laughed, "yeah sometimes, haven't for a while though. Mainly you're all I think about, and how lucky I am to have you."  
  
Morgan smiled and she turned under the blankets to face him. He grinned and she smiled again.  
  
"What?" he asked and she laughed.  
  
"It's been a long time since anyone said anything like that to me, thanks, and I feel exactly the same way about you too, just thought I'd let ya know," she said smiling and he returned it.  
  
Morgan laid back on her back again and watched as the trees moved slowly from the gentle breeze moving through.  
  
"Really?" he leant over her and she giggled.  
  
"Oh duh!" she said and he laughed and covered her lips with his.  
  
Morgan rested her arms around his neck and he held her cheek in his hand as they kissed.  
  
Brian slid her top off and she went to pull his off and he gave her a hand.  
  
They made love and woke up the next morning in each others arms. As the early morning sun streamed through their tent.  
  
Brian woke up again suddenly and pegged his pillow as hard as he could at the wall and kicked the blankets off him.  
  
"Why can't I get her out of my god damn head!" he growled as he pulled on a pair of jeans and a white t shirt after having a shower and took his wallet and stormed down to his car.  
  
He drove around and ended up where he knew he shouldn't have.  
  
He knocked on the door and waited almost impatiently for her to get the door.  
  
'Only way I can get Morgan out of my head,' he thought as he contemplated on her doorstep.  
  
She opened the door and was surprised to see him there.  
  
"Hey," he said simply and she grinned. "Hey, come in," she said and he walked in trying to forget her as best as he could.  
  
He knew exactly what he was doing, he was leading Frankee on, he'd done it so often over the past 3 years it was hard to think of a time when he didn't.  
  
Brian knew exactly that it wasn't fair on anyone, but it was the only way he could escape from her, escape from feeling tired of wishing she was his again, tired of feeling like he was nothing because he didn't have her in his arms again.  
  
Friday rolled around and they were face to face again.  
  
Morgan got up and shoved a million and one tear stained tissues into the small paper bin in her bedroom and pulled her heavy, aching body out of bed and to her shower.  
  
She put on a pair of baggy black pants and a light blue dress shirt underneath a white vest.  
  
She got in her car and drove to the station knowing that seeing Brian there was going to take her on a test of how much she could hold her tears in, all she'd done for the past 2 days was cry and she was sick of it.  
  
She knew she loved him, she knew she cried because she needed him with her again, she needed his arms around her and she knew she'd never get him back.  
  
Morgan was torn, everything was messed up, her heart wanted him back and her head wanted him as far away as possible. Her heart loved him and her head hated him.  
  
Brian got into his Skyline and made the trip to the station, he wanted to see her again, but he knew he'd only make things worse. He knew it wasn't going to be happy, he knew they'd end up fighting, but there was a voice that made him go regardless of anything to see her.  
  
"Bilkins, have you done anything about the situation?" Morgan asked as they all sat in the room again. 


	3. I Thought That I Found Myself

_**Hey, brand newie! I would've got this up a little quicker, but I've started yet another fan fic! My very first one that isn't about the Fast and the Furious though! It's a big event in this creature's life! Lol Hope ya all enjoy and as always let us know what you think! I think it was Scottish Lass2 who said about Morgan getting a make over, well I like the idea, and I'll do that for ya! Much peace..... ENJOY!**_

**_Disclaimer: As per usual, I don't own anything from the movie, 2 Fast 2 Furious, but I do own any character that wasn't on the movie, as well, the lyrics in bold italics are from Smile Empty Soul's - Finding Myself._**

* * *

_**I don't care anymore if I let you down I believe that I need to be free I'm so used to my life with you around I don't know anymore the real me**_  
  
"Forrester I'm working on it! I'm pretty sure I can sort this out for the both of you, my guess is though that you both will need to work closely no matter what, but for both of your sakes how closely can be changed," Bilkins said sitting down and Morgan and Brian breathed small sighs of relief.  
  
The full briefing commenced and all three sat in silence, Morgan was too emotionally drained from the last 2 days she'd had to even think about fighting with Brian and it was the same story for him, he had too much on his mind and it was running him down.  
  
_**And I thought that I found myself today and I thought that I had control all the change in my life just fell away for a moment I didn't need you**_  
  
Roman sat in utter shock, neither of them were speaking to each other at all, no bickering, no insults, nothing. Just silence. He was enjoying it while it lasted, he didn't know what brought it on, but he could see something was up with both of them.  
  
"Now I need all 3 of you packed and ready to go next Wednesday morning, all of you come straight here and the length of this case right now is unknown, we have no real idea how long this may take, we're anticipating that it will be finished soon, but no guarantees, so I insist all of you get your affairs in order and shut down your lives temporarily," Bilkins added on and all three nodded in agreement.  
  
_**All these tears that I cried You must be tired of Taking care of me but It's what you do best and I'm a liar cuz Really its what I need  
**_  
Morgan sat at her desk and sighed a huge breath and turned on her computer.  
  
She went through all her emails and suspended her account, then she went through all her paperwork and got every last bit done and finished.

* * *

"Bro wassup with you today? Dude you look like you been hit by a bus or something," Rome commented to Brian as they went into the busier part of the station.  
  
"Wish I had," Brian said darkly as he fell back into his chair.  
  
"Seriously, Brian what's up with you?" Rome pressed on, he was starting to think something was really wrong with his friend and he wanted to know what it was.  
  
"Nothing man, what's up with you thinking there's something up with me?" he shot back as he leaned back in his chair and threw his legs up on the desk.  
  
_**And I thought that I found myself today and I thought that I had control all the change in my life just fell away for a moment I didn't need you  
**_  
"Bahamas bro! That'll get you out of whatever shit of a mood you're in," Rome said with a cheesy grin and Brian laughed as he chucked a pen trying to get it in the paper bin.  
  
He missed and it fell on the floor as Morgan pushed past, she groaned and picked it up and threw it at him and it hit him in the chest.  
  
"Useless," she muttered as she stormed off holding three thick folders of paperwork.  
  
"Hey Morgan, why don't you book yourself into an anger management course or something, but then maybe, they can't handle how much of a bitch you are," Brian said sourly as she stopped dead in her tracks and turned to face him, anger written on her face and her body, hurt and sadness plastered on her dark brown eyes.  
  
"Fuck you Brian, go to hell you bastard," she said as her eyes stung and she jogged off.  
  
_**Someone like you someone like me Maybe its change That set you free**_  
  
"Yeah, I'll see you there," he yelled after her and she gave him the finger as she pushed on and furiously wiped a tear away.  
  
Rome got what he'd been wondering about, they'd started again, and he knew they'd both hurt each other pretty bad in a few words.  
  
He still had no idea why the hatred was there, it was deep, and he couldn't see it as Brian said, 'some people you like some you don't', because the problem they had was deeper than that.  
  
Morgan dropped the paper work off and moved outside quickly and collapsed down onto the concrete and leant against the side of the building as tears were running down her cheeks.  
  
Sandra Johnston, Morgan's best friend and also an agent was coming in for her shift saw her best friend crouched against the wall and holding her face in her hands, she ran over to her from her car and got down on her knees beside her.  
  
"Mor what's wrong honey?" she asked quietly rubbing Morgan's back and pulling her in for a hug.  
  
Morgan didn't answer and Sandra had a fair idea about what the cause was. She wiped a tear away from her eye and hugged Morgan tightly.  
  
"I'm so sick of this bullshit, that's it," Sandra said as she sprung up and stormed off inside to find Brian.

* * *

"WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM!" She yelled at him, he was sitting at his desk leaning on it with his forehead resting on his arms.  
  
He gritted his teeth when he heard someone yell at him. He looked up and saw Morgan's best friend Sandra standing in front of his desk with her hands planted firmly on her hips.  
  
"I'd ask you that too," he replied and she got even angrier.  
  
"What did you do to her? This shit has to stop between both of you, I've had enough of seeing her like this, she's always angry and it's always something the both of you have said and I personally have had a fuckin gut full of it," Sandra riled off and Rome went to stand with her.  
  
"Don't you think anything she says affects me? Don't you think that gets on my nerves at all, especially, when today she starts it with me, which, come to think of it, has been a hell of a lot lately, she isn't the innocent victim here, there are none, so why don't you give your speech to her instead, cos I've heard enough now, and I don't need this shit, it's always on me for fuck sake," Brian said standing up and shoving his chair back in under his desk and storming off leaving Sandra and Rome to stand there looking at each other speechless.  
  
_**And I thought that I found myself today And I thought that I had control All the change in my life just fell away For a moment I didn't need you  
**_  
Brian kept walking, he walked past Morgan, she was going in the opposite direction, their eyes met briefly, and they could see how much the other had been hurt by what they constantly did to each other.  
  
He took her arm quickly and she stopped and looked back at him.  
  
"Don't touch me," she growled through gritted teeth.  
  
Brian let go as she pulled her arm away from him and he just looked her in the eyes, turned his back and walked off.  
  
He stopped and looked back, she was still standing in the same place, their eyes met again and she walked off and back into the station.  
  
Morgan went back to her desk and turned off her computer, she got her bag from her locker and disappeared out to her car and left the station.

* * *

"Do you know why they hate each other so much?" Rome asked Sandra.  
  
"Mor will never say, all she says is that they don't get along, but shit if they're like that it's gotta be more of a reason behind it," Sandra sighed as she flopped into her chair at her desk.  
  
Rome nodded and he got his stuff in order before he left for the day and went straight over to Tej's garage.

* * *

Morgan drove around, she drove past the beach, then she went and drove around in the city, then she drove out of town along the coast to a secluded beach and stopped her car.  
  
She pulled off her black high heels and walked onto the hot sand, she felt it on the bottoms of her feet and the light burning sensation it was causing. She rolled up her pant legs and cooled her feet on the wet sand and felt the gentle ebb of the ocean waves coming into shore against her ankles and her feet.  
  
"Why," she whispered to herself as she looked out at the horizon and felt everything slip away, feel herself become an empty shell.  
  
She moved up onto the dry sand and sat and pulled her knees under her chin and stared out at the sun setting over the ocean.

* * *

Brian pulled up at his apartment block and he got out of his car and locked it as he jogged up the stairs and reefed the house keys out of his pocket and slammed the door behind him.  
  
He kicked off his sneakers and took off his shirt as he ran a shaky hand through his hair and went straight into the bathroom and took a shower.  
  
He got out and pulled on a pair of grey baggy track pants and a black t shirt, he walked out and went into the kitchen and pulled a Corona out of the six pack in the fridge.  
  
Brian sat out on the small landing as the Miami sun set, he decided to just drink away all the thoughts of Morgan and get completely blind drunk so he could have some peace.  
  
"Can't take this anymore," he said as he took a long swig and fell on his couch.  
  
He woke up the next morning with a massive hang over, his head was pounding and his muscles ached.

* * *

Morgan woke up late the next day, she pulled the blanket over her head before she kicked it off and got up.  
  
She got up and looked at herself in the bathroom mirror, her eyes were red and they had dark bags underneath them, her skin was looking very pale and her cheeks looked sullen and her lips were in a frown.  
  
"Fuck Morgan you look like shit," she said aloud as she turned away from the mirror.

* * *

**TUESDAY**  
  
"FORRESTER! WE'RE GOING SHOPPING!" Sandra hollered as she barged into her best friends bedroom and found her still in bed.  
  
"Why?" Morgan grumbled.  
  
"Because, you're leaving tomorrow, and you're going to the Bahamas, and quite frankly girl, you need some new clothes, you dress like you're a 40 something home maker honey! We gotta get you some sexy lil numbers for the new job!"  
  
Morgan laughed and swung her legs over the side of her bed.  
  
"I do not dress like a 40 something!" she added defensively.  
  
"Bub, I hate to tell ya, but you do!" Sandra smiled.  
  
Sandra dragged Morgan around the mall, she picked out an armful of clothes and pushed Morgan to the change rooms.  
  
"Sandy! I can't wear this! Look how short it is, and there's no back!" Morgan shrieked holding up the grey mini dress, it was an almost iridescent silver, and it had a lace up back and a short skirt.  
  
"Oh come on Mor, you can pull anything off, you're just not game, at least put it on and show me, I'll be the judge, sweetie you know I'd tell you if it looked like shit," Sandy smiled and Morgan laughed as she slipped the dress on.  
  
"Ok S, here it is," she opened the dressing room door and came out looking amazing.  
  
Sandra was nearly knocked out at how good she looked.  
  
"You're buying that, you look great Mor!" Sandra said and Morgan looked down and over herself.  
  
"I like this dress, yeah, ok you've talked me into it, but damn, I still don't think I'll pull it off...."  
  
"You're kidding right, you look great in that dress," Sandra added and Morgan smiled.  
  
"Ok, I'll get it to shut ya up!"  
  
Sandra laughed, "good you do that!"  
  
Morgan got changed and they finished up her shopping spree later that day dragging numerous bags of clothes out to Sandra's Honda civic.  
  
"Are you sure you can handle having to work with that jerk O'Conner?" Sandra asked and Morgan snorted.  
  
"Quite frankly I don't doubt I'll end up knocking him out, but I'll have to hold onto that, I'll be ok Sandy, don't worry! I'm a big girl," Morgan smiled and rubbed her friend's shoulder.  
  
Sandra laughed and they both smiled.

* * *

Rome finished the last of his packing and drove over to Brian's apartment to find him loading a few bags into his Skyline.  
  
"Sup brah?" Rome said as Brian threw another bag onto the backseat.  
  
"Not much man, just finishin packin that's all. Man on Friday, she started that with me, I mean I was the one getting blamed by Johnston, I wasn't the one who started all that," Brian started off and Rome and him walked back up to his apartment.  
  
"Bro did I say anything?" Rome asked.  
  
"No, but you know man..." Brian started before Rome shut him up.  
  
"Listen, I didn't say anything about Friday, and shit, you're both the same, y'all are both at fault, but serious cuz you gotta get that shit with both of you at least half way sorted out before we leave, 'cause if it happens on the mission then you can both really fuck things up for everyone."  
  
Brian knew Rome was right, he just didn't know how to go about it, he didn't know whether to go to her house and try and talk to her there, or maybe it was better to meet on mutual grounds.

* * *

Morgan gave Sandra a hug and they said their goodbyes before Sandra got into her purple and blue Civic and drove away.  
  
Morgan put all the bags on the couch and very soon there were clothes scattered everywhere, unlike her to have an untidy house, but she was sorting everything out.  
  
She put on her stereo and played Three Days Grace – I Hate Everything About You. She could relate to the song so well, because it was basically exactly how she felt about him.  
  
She got changed into a black sports bra and a pair of blue nike running shorts as she pulled out two big suitcases and chucked them on the lounge room floor and folded up all her new clothes and started sorting things out.

* * *

Brian drove into her neighbourhood; he wasn't sure whether or not this was going to be one of his brightest ideas. He was still pissed off at her about what had happened on Friday.  
  
He stopped the Skyline on the curb and looked over at her house. He could hear Rammstein – Engel playing and felt the urge to smile. She had always loved Rammstein, yet she mainly listened to dance music and hip hop.  
  
Brian walked up the path and stood at the door ready to knock, but not sure whether it was going to be very good.  
  
He talked himself into it and knocked on the door, the music stopped and he heard her coming to the door.

* * *

Morgan heard knocking on her door and figured it was Sandy back again for a final pizza and movie night.  
  
She grinned as she opened the door and saw the last person she expected there.  
  
She slammed the door shut and Brian rolled his eyes and leant on the door frame waiting a few minutes and he knew the curiosity would win her over and it'd open. He knew her too well, and in a few seconds the door was opened again.  
  
"What the fuck are you doing here and what the hell do you want?" she said angrily.  
  
"God I missed you too," he said sarcastically not making the situation any better.  
  
"Tell me what you're doing here or get the hell off my property."  
  
"Listen, I know all this shit will never end between us, but it's got to, other wise this whole thing is going to be fucked from the very beginning, can you at least even think about calling a truce with me?" he started and she bit her lip and tightened her grip on the door handle.  
  
Brian didn't know where what he had just said had come from, but he couldn't get the strength to be mad at her any more. He felt like acid was burning him inside out knowing he'd hurt her again, knowing that she'd cried again because of him.  
  
Morgan didn't know what to answer, she hated him putting her on the spot, all she could do was agree, she had no other choice, the mission was a top level assignment and they both couldn't risk putting anything into possible jeopardy.  
  
"Ok," she muttered eventually.  
  
Brian looked back at her face again from his spot on the ground.  
  
"Ok, we call a truce, but I can't and never will mean it properly, the only reason I even contemplated it was because of the mission," she started off and Brian laughed sarcastically.  
  
"And what in you're right mind makes you think I would want to call a truce with you if it wasn't for the mission, shit, you need to get over yourself," he said and she ground her teeth.  
  
"You come to my house, and you come here to call a truce, we've practically broken it already," Morgan said and he sighed.  
  
"God Morgan, every time we've had a run in lately have all started with you, and I get the blame, shit don't you think it was hard enough trying to come here, to your house and try and get you to call a truce? I'm sick of getting the blame all the time, you agreed to this thing now, so at least can you fuckin try it for christ's sake!" he said getting angry.  
  
"Brian, I agreed to your stupid truce, now just leave, please," she muttered.  
  
Brian sighed and unfolded his arms as she closed the door.  
  
He shook his head and walked off down the path and got back into his Skyline.  
  
"DAMMIT!" He yelled as he thumped the steering wheel.  
  
He was so sick of fighting with her all the time, and every time it started again it would nearly kill him, he hated fighting with her, but ever since they'd crossed paths again it was all they ever seemed to do. 


	4. Dual Cases

_**Hey, well here's chapter 4, someone out there may enjoy it, and if they do please don't hesitate to drop me a line. Left Dunn's name as Brad as it is in my other story On The Inside, am too lazy to think of a new name and I just want to leave it as Brad too! A little shameful in a part of this, but it's not too hardcore! Please if you do like it or whatever, doesn't matter if you do or you don't any feedback would be awesome, cos am really feeling disheartened with everything right now and just even one person saying something would be great, so any way I'll cut it with the yakaty yak yak and let you read! Much peace and happiness**_

* * *

"How's it goin Morgan?" Rome asked Morgan as she swung her black satchel over her shoulder and pushed her sunglasses up on her head. 

"Good, and you?" she smiled.

"Great girl! Free trip to the Bahamas! Gonna find me a lil island chica for some fun!" Rome added and Morgan burst out laughing.

"You do that!"

"Oh believe me I will!" he grinned devilishly and she playfully punched his arm.

"Forrester, do you have any idea where O'Conner is?" Dunn asked and Morgan raised an eyebrow and sniffed sarcastically.

"Dunn, you're joking me right? Why would I know where he is? Why would I care where he is?" she said and Dunn nodded and laughed a little.

"Sorry forgot!" he said and she laughed.

"That's ok Dunn!" she smiled as she patted his shoulder.

Brad Dunn felt a small shiver when she touched his shoulder, he had always had a thing for Morgan, but he couldn't ever see her liking him as more than a friend, he'd tried leaving hints occasionally but she never seemed to pick up on them.

Morgan was looking amazing, her chocolate waves were loosely tied back at the nape of her neck in a messy bun, her skin was glowing a brilliant bronze and her eyes were a rich brown, and highlighted with hazel. She was wearing a low cut v-neck satin tank top, which had a champagne tinge about it, and a pair of close fitting whisker wash denim jeans with a pair of strappy stilettos.

* * *

Brian pulled up at the headquarters and got out of his Skyline, he took the bags out of the car and locked it up leaving the keys in his pocket. 

He was wearing a pair of jeans, a dark blue button up shirt and his sneakers.

He felt his stomach jerk looking at how beautiful Morgan was, he always loved her smile, because somehow her eyes got the most amazing hazel and auburn highlights within the chocolate brown.

He tried his best to stop thinking about her for a few brief moments so he could adjust to the task at hand, but it was getting increasingly difficult.

* * *

"O'Conner, nice of you to show up. Have you got everything? There's no turning back once you get in the car," Bilkins started and Brian nodded in agreement and threw his bags in the back of the black Escalade. 

"BILKINS LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD!" Morgan yelled out and Bilkins laughed.

"Well, Forrester get in the car and we'll have more of a shot at it!" Bilkins added and Morgan smiled.

"Shotgun the front!" she said as she ran over and jumped into the front passenger seat.

'What the hell is making her so god damn happy?' Brian thought as he got into the back seat alongside Rome.

"Morgan crank the hip hop!" Rome grinned as Morgan laughed and turned on the radio.

"Oh hold up, I've got a couple of good CD's in my bag!" she said as she grabbed her bag off the floor in the back.

"What you got?" Rome said as she opened up her bag and started to rifle through it looking for her CD case.

"Got that song, umm, Get Low, ya know the one that goes, To the window to the wall, move that ass up and down and get low?" she sung a bit and Bilkins laughed.

"Lil John and the East Side Boys!" Rome intercepted and she laughed.

"That's the one!"

"I'm telling you both now there isn't any better music around then Alan Jackson," Bilkins came out with and Brian, Rome and Morgan burst out laughing.

"Of course not!" Morgan said with mock reassurance as she burst out laughing and slid the CD into the player.

"Hey Rome, do you like Ludacris?" Morgan asked as she found Get Low by Lil John and the East side Boys.

"Oh hell yeah, you got some of his beats there too?"

"Shit yes!"

"I'm sittin wit you on the plane girl!" Rome added on and Morgan laughed.

"You know it!"

Bilkins couldn't help but smile to himself when he pulled up with the group of agents in the Escalade at the airstrip. He had a good feeling about this mission, the team of agents he had were all outstanding and they would each do their jobs to the best of their abilities.

* * *

Monica stepped out of Markham's car with Dunn and another agent, she saw Bilkins pull up and was pleased to see Brian getting out, she wanted to talk to him, after working together on the Verone bust she really wanted to see him outside of work, but they hadn't managed it just yet. 

The group all got yet another, but final briefing on the plane to the islands, they were assigned where they would all be living for the next however long, and given aliases and other vital information on the details of their first days on the job for Vincent Deluka.

* * *

"So this is hella boring!" Morgan said as she moved over to another seat on the private plane. 

"Somebody's happy today," Brian commented under his breath, but Morgan still heard and let it pass her by.

"As a matter of fact O'Conner I am, and really, it's none ya god damn business!" she bit back using her natural sarcasm.

"Morgan you on a buzz or something?" Dunn said with a small smile and she laughed.

"Nah, I watched S.W.A.T last night and realised just how much I love my job! I know it sounds really corny!" she laughed.

"Oh that movie's off the hinges!" Rome said and there was a mutual agreement between Dunn, Morgan and himself.

* * *

Brian was having a hell of a day, he felt like shit. He probably looked it too, he'd been up until the early hours of the morning beating himself up mentally, over Frankee, Monica, Mia, but mainly Morgan. 

Because out of everyone she was the only one who he ever really cared about or loved, he loved her with all his heart and the only thing he wanted was to have her back in his arms again, he'd been wishing for it every night and every morning for 3 years straight.

He often wondered whether she thought about them, or as much as he did. He often let his mind stumble over thinking whether or not she missed him as much as he did her, whether she still loved him like he did her, whether she'd moved on.

He stared out the window lost in the recesses of his mind again, and on the same topic, Morgan.

* * *

Monica looked over Brian's way, she saw him just staring blankly out of the window and sidled over and sat in the seat beside him. 

"So we're all sharing a house together huh," she commented trying to use it as the ice breaker.

"Seems that way," Brian said dully the last person he really felt like talking to was Monica.

"You and Forrester gonna be able to stand living in the same house as each other?" she added on.

"Not like we haven't before," Brian let slip; he immediately tried to find away around what he'd just said.

Brian and Morgan kept their relationship a secret from everyone, Rome didn't know, Sandra didn't know, Dunn didn't know, Bilkins and most certainly Monica didn't know.

Monica didn't get what he'd meant by the last comment, almost like they'd lived together before, or done a case together before similar, she was then trying to buy it down to maybe he'd meant about them trying to get along, which she really hoped was her answer, she couldn't really think it possible that they'd ever gotten along before.

"That we've tried getting along together before I mean," Brian quickly intercepted and covered up.

Monica nodded, her mind at rest.

* * *

Rome could see his friend needed some saving, he swooped in and sat across from them. Brian and his eyes met leaving an unsaid message, 'get her away!' 

Monica noticed Brian had put his head back on the window and was looking like he was about to fall asleep, he was trying an attempt at getting her to leave him alone for a bit.

She seemed to take the hint and got up again and Brian felt himself get deeper into a mist and sleep met him and took him away from the plane and into a darker place.

Monica sat down again and eyed Morgan for a little while, trying to somehow find out her game. She sat there looking at her occasionally.

Morgan was reclined on a seat with her feet up and swinging her foot along to a beat of whatever music she had on in her Discman and reading a Cosmopolitan magazine with Cameron Diaz on the cover, Monica also noticed she wore glasses, which she'd never picked up on before.

* * *

Brian muttered something in his sleep and Morgan could tell he had something heavy on his mind, because he'd always mutter and talk in his sleep when his mind was working double time about something. 

She closed the magazine and took off her glasses and shoved them into her satchel. She laid her head back and stared off blankly at the ceiling, he was on her mind again.

Morgan was tired of always wondering, hoping, wishing that they'd just stop and turn back to the way things used to be. She loved him so much, she needed him around like she always did. She'd never admit she needed him to anyone else, but she knew she did, it was bottom line.

She doubted he'd even care about her anymore, it didn't really seem like he'd cared so much when he'd been playing her with Mia all those years ago. She figured he was with some other girl now and probably happier than he ever was in the 4 years they were together.

* * *

Rome sometimes let himself think about maybe there was something more to Brian and Morgan than they'd ever let on, that there was a history there they were hiding from everyone else and even themselves sometimes. 

He thought they'd known each other from some other place, but he never thought of them ever being involved romantically.

* * *

Morgan's discman let Christina Aguilera – Walk Away drift through her mind and so much hit her about her and Brian. She felt her eyes well up and quashed her tears. 

She was so sick of crying, it was all she was doing lately, she'd done it again last night. She'd probably end up having a small tear roll down her cheeks that night before she went to bed alone again without him to hold her.

* * *

_**Brian's Dream**_

She was sitting alone in a dark room in a black satin halter dress and black stiletto heels. She sat on the edge of the bed staring out of the large bay windows looking out over a beautiful ocean.

A slight breeze lifting her chocolate waves off her neck and letting them flow away freely. The sounds of the night, and the ocean and wind filling their ears and the surroundings.

"Hey," she said with a smile as he sat down next to her.

"Hey," he replied.

She faced him and they held each other's glance before their faces were millimetres apart, their lips just off each others and they could each feel the gentle touch of each others warm breath.

Their lips came together and the kiss was powerful and electrifying, he pulled her closer to him and deepened it softly but powerfully and passionately.

His hands explored her body and moved up her bare back and found the tie of her dress and he pulled it loose as she pushed his shirt off his shoulders and their lips collided again over and over as she undid his belt and kicked off her heels.

They were under the covers and he was over her and her arms around his neck as they stared into each other's eyes, he moved his hands over her and kissed down her neck and back up again as she let out soft moans.

She pulled his lips back to hers and caught him up and kissed his neck softly and he nearly lost himself in the simple pleasure she could give him from a just a kiss.

Her hands moved down his back and up again around his neck sending shivers down his spine, they both couldn't take it anymore and were nearly at the moment to become one again.

* * *

"RISE AND SHINE MR O'CONNER WE HERE!" Rome broke his dream and he took a deep breath and shoved his eyes open angrily.

"Dude that was a good dream! Bad but good! Couldn't have waited for, 10 – 15 minutes could you?" Brian grilled Rome.

"WOAHOOO! What were you dreamin about bro?" Rome asked and Brian laughed.

"Racing my Skyline man, what did you think I was dreamin about!" Brian joked smacking Rome over the head.

Rome laughed and sat down and put his seat belt on.

* * *

"So this is the Bahamas right?" Morgan commented looking out the plane window.

"Dunno, that's what it says on the mission statement, but you never know, we could be in Paraguay or Egypt!" Brad kidded and Morgan smiled and let out a small laugh.

Brian watched Dunn's obvious flirting with Morgan, he didn't like it, he knew he couldn't say anything, but he wanted too, he wanted to go and sit next to Morgan and put his arm around her and plant a full blown kiss on her and make sure that Dunn knew exactly who's girl he was messing with.

But, the cold hard cut reality came back, she wasn't his, and she could do whatever, and flirt with whomever she wanted too. Although, Brian could see she wasn't interested in the slightest by the way she laughed.

It wasn't overly genuine; it was just a fill in.

* * *

"Bro Suke would love this place!" Brian commented to Rome as they all stepped off the aircraft.

"Hell yeah man!" Rome said back, Morgan was walking next to Rome and she let her curiosity flood over and start her thinking about Suke and whoever she was.

From Brian mentioning her she guessed she was his girlfriend.

* * *

"Dude where the fuck is a punching bag!" Morgan said as they were all walking into the airport.

"Bring it on! Do your worst girl, see how strong y'all are!" Rome challenged her, she grinned devilishly.

"Are you so sure that's a smart idea, I mean I don't want to hurt you Rome!" she said and he laughed.

"Come on girl! Don't think ya that strong!" Rome started to patronise her and she flexed her knuckles and landed one swift hard punch into Rome's stomach and nearly winded him.

He clutched his gut and breathed out.

"Wow! Remind me not to do that again!" he said and she laughed.

"Sorry! Are you ok! I warned ya though!" she said as she put her hand on his shoulder.

Rome laughed, "yeah remind me not to tempt ya again!"

Morgan smiled and patted his back as he straightened out and rubbed his stomach.

"Shit I'm so sorry man!" she apologized and he laughed.

"It's aiight! My bad girl! I challenged you remember!" he reassured her.

* * *

"Roman Grey! Shit what a name!" Rome said as he picked up his bags.

"Why don't you try Mariana Howard on for size!" she said and he laughed.

"Don't know why I couldn't have kept Morgan, instead of Mariana."

"Try this, Monica Fredericks," Monica said and Morgan sniffed.

"Hey, it's better than Mariana!"

"So what's better as a last name, O'Conner or, Michaels?" Brian said to Rome as they all got nearer to the small air terminal.

"Grey!" Rome replied.

Morgan smiled as she picked up her bags and swung one over her shoulder.

* * *

"So this is the lodge huh?" Brian commented looking around the house.

"Not bad bruh!" Rome called as he stuck his head out from around a door frame.

"Check this place out!" Monica exclaimed as she walked out into the lounge, which had a view of the lounge room.

"Dayummm!" Morgan smiled looking around the amazing villa style house they'd all been given, there was plenty of room too, so she was hoping she wouldn't have to run into Brian all the time and make things harder than they already were.

Brian found a door on his right and opened it up and found a fully set up bedroom, the bed against the wall in the centre, the large French doors leading out for a stunning view of the ocean and the beach, but for some reason he got hit with a massive case of déjà vu.

He shook it off and dropped his bags and then went to stand just outside the door.

"I call this for sure bro don't even think about taking it!" he sang out as Rome started down the corridor.

"Keep it man, I found a hot room right next door!" he said as he disappeared and Brian laughed and walked over and leant in his doorway.

"Mmmm, not bad, mine's better though," he said slyly as Rome flipped him off.

* * *

Morgan flew into a room and found a spectacular view of the tropical garden around the house and a distant view of the blue ocean.

She fell back onto her bed as Monica walked in.

"Called?" she asked and Morgan laughed.

"Called."

* * *

Monica laughed and then went on to find a room for herself, she walked up the corridor and took the 4th door on the right, she found the last available room and knew she had no choice left, but she didn't do too badly, it had a large window showing the ocean, the bed was comfy and the location was superb for her, right next to Brian's room.

* * *

Morgan took out her suitcase and got changed into a pair of light blue short running shorts and a white singlet top. She let her hair fall down and put on a pair of black thongs.

She walked out into the lounge and found Rome and Brian playing a video game on the Playstation 2 and Monica sitting at the table painting her nails. Morgan looked around and she knew she'd be bored sitting there talking to Monica while she was painting her nails, so she sat down next to Rome and watched the fighting game.

"I'll play winner," she said as Rome grinned and pulled a sly knock out on Brian.

"Fucking cheater!" Brian said as Rome laughed.

"Just cos you can't fight for shit man!" he said back and Brian put down the controller.

"Bullshit, you know I can fight!"

"Whatever!" Rome grinned as Brian handed the controller to Morgan and she took it and he sat back and crossed his arms.

"Now for a starters I'm getting a better character..." Morgan said as she flipped through and got herself a different character and Rome kept his the same.

"Ok girly bring this shit on!" Rome said getting ready and Morgan smirked and waited for the game to start.

"Me bring it on! You bring it on home boy!" she said as it started up.

* * *

"Oh hell yeah! Who's house is this!" Morgan laughed as she knocked Rome out and then let in a swift kick while his character was in mid air.

"Damn kill you twice before you hit the ground!" she laughed as Rome groaned and handed the controller to Brian who was laughing.

"You try and beat her homes if you think you're so good!" he said and Brian flipped him.

* * *

"Damn you're not beating me! No way!" Morgan growled as Brian laughed and she was madly pressing the buttons.

"Woo yeah!" Brian called out as he beat Morgan at the game.

"Smart ass," she said as she put down the controller and got up and went down the corridor to her room and into her bag and found her hand tape.

She walked back out into the lounge room taping up her hands and then clenching them into fists.

She then slid open the glass door from the lounge room and walked onto the verandah and laid into the punching bag, putting one hard punch after the other into it and Rome went outside and held it.

"Thanks," she said as Rome grabbed hold of the bag to steady it.

"Pisses me off when it's swingin all over the show," she added.

"Yeah know what y'all mean," he said as she hit it really hard and moved him from his stance.

"Damn girl I'd hate to be on your bad side," he laughed as she busted up laughing and put her hands down by her sides.

"Nah, my tongue gets more use then my fists don't worry," she smiled and he grinned and she landed one unexpected punch into the bag and Rome nearly lost his balance.

"I'll remember that!" he smiled as she stopped and then passed him the tape for him to get into it.

Rome wrapped up his hands and then she steadied the bag for him and he laid a few swift, but hard and powerful punches into the bag.

"I'd hate to be on your bad side too man!" she laughed as she steadied herself and the bag.

"Yeah so would I!" he replied with a cheesy smile and she laughed.

* * *

Brian watched them out on the verandah as he flicked through some channels on the TV and Monica came and sat down on the couch blowing on her nails to dry them off.

"Not a bad deal huh!" Brian said and she laughed.

"Yeah pretty good, pretty good," she said as Morgan came back inside and went into the kitchen and started rifling through the draws.

She pulled out a pair of scissors and cut the tape off her knuckles and unwound it and wincing with the pains coming out of them.

She ran her hands under the cold water from the sink to try and relieve some of the pain, they were red and a tiny bit swollen.

Morgan went out and sat on the couch in the lounge room with Brian and Monica, she shook her hands quickly and beat them on her legs and trying to get comfortable, but fidgeting.

She swung her legs up over the back of the couch and then laid back and looked at the TV upside down.

"Comfy there?" Monica asked.

"Shit yes!" Morgan replied seriously and Monica laughed.

"You change that O'Conner and I will kill you, with my bare hands," Morgan said as the Evanescence – Going Under video clip came on.

Brian smirked and changed the channel, Morgan scowled and he changed it back to the video, then she looked at the screen intently and he changed it again and she groaned and he put it back again.

"Can you leave it there!" she said as he grinned and changed it.

"BRIAN FOR CHRISTS SAKE LEAVE IT ON WOULD YOU!" she growled at him and whacked him with a pillow as he laughed and whacked her back and she rubbed her side laughing a little.

"My bad," he said and she gave him the finger and he pretended to catch it and put it in his pocket.

She shook her head and rolled her eyes as Kanye West – All Falls Down came on.

"ROME KANYE'S ON!" she yelled out and Rome came out and she sat back up properly.

"He's da man!" Rome said he and Morgan sat next to each other and started to weave to the beat, but doing it like it was completely normal.

"I'm going to buy this CD," Morgan said clicking her fingers and Rome and her kept weaving and they both clapped and kept going.

"Hell yeah, I'm going to borrow this CD when you buy it," he added and she laughed, as everyone else burst out laughing at their charade.

"Can do, can do," she said as she laughed and went back to laying the way she was.

"Hey does anyone mind if I put a CD on?" Monica asked, Brian didn't comment, Rome shook his head and Morgan shrugged.

"As long as it's not shit," Rome said and Monica laughed and put in a Christina Aguilera CD.

She picked out 'Walk Away'.

"Oh great pop tart music!" Brian said sarcastically and Morgan couldn't help but laugh, mainly because he used to always call pop stars pop tarts.

"Holy shit did y'all just get along?" Rome said and Brian and Morgan both gave him weird looks.

"No way, hey Morgan go and get fucked," Brian said, but only light heartedly to throw off at Rome.

"Yeah you too ho. See, not getting along at all," Morgan said as Brian gave her the finger and she willingly returned it.

Rome just shook his head and grinned.

* * *

Later that afternoon Brian and Monica had gone down to the beach and Rome and Morgan were playing cards on the veranda.

"So do you like Monica?" Rome said out of the blue.

Morgan screwed up her face and hummed, "I've tried, but no, not really! Nothing I can really talk to her about, she's a lil bit too girly ya know."

Rome laughed and dealt out their cards.

"Damn, I reckon! She's after Brian big time, but he ain't interested, I dunno, but he went to L.A and I didn't see him for a hell of a long time, but something ain't sittin right, I know ya couldn't care less though! But yeah, he's more of a player than I am, and he ain't doin it for fun either, like something real bad happened and he's tryin to forget about it, I don't know," Rome said all of a sudden and Morgan was a little stopped she didn't know really what to make of what he'd said.

Morgan snapped out of thought to look at Rome who was grinning at her.

"Damn, thought I lost you for a second!"

Morgan laughed, "nah I'm here, just tired that's all."

She smiled sheepishly and put down her cards and walked inside as Brian and Monica came up from the beach.

* * *

"No surf there today," Brian said flopping down into Morgan's chair.

"Go have a cry blondie," Rome smirked at him cheekily and Brian laughed and punched him in the arm.

"Whass you're problem tinkerbell?" Brian asked Rome who punched him back.

"Been in the Hamas for a day nearly, ain't found me a fine chica yet bruh."

Brian laughed and shook his head, "we ain't been anywhere yet!"

"Yeah, but aren't they supposed to be everywhere you look!" Rome said seriously and making Brian crack up laughing because he was honestly true about what he was saying.

"Damn I wish, but bro, you know that's all bullshit right? We gotta go looking," Brian finished and got up and Rome smiled and rubbed his hands together.

* * *

Morgan went in and crashed on the couch and flicked the channels, she was aimlessly staring off at the ceiling while she hit the button on the remote.

'What did he mean, what happened in L.A, shit if Rome knows I'll kill Brian, we weren't going to tell anyone, it was none of their business, that was the only thing we'd agreed on since we were together, shit why would he break his side of the deal!' she thought as she let her finger rest on the button, not paying attention to what was on the television.

"Good show?" Brian commented sarcastically and laughing when he saw what she'd left on the TV, a Dawson's Creek re-run and he knew how much she hated Dawson's Creek.

"What?" she said snapping back.

Brian pointed to the TV and she looked at it and shrieked and changed the channel.

She sat up again and crossed her legs under her on the couch as Brian fell back into a chair. Morgan sat fidgety, drumming her fingers on her legs and changing positions more often then normal.

Finally she piped up, "can I talk to you for a second, not here," she said and Brian looked at her and shrugged.

"Yeah, where?" he asked.

"Anywhere, just somewhere out of earshot to everyone else here," she said and he got out of the chair and so did she.

"Alright," he said and they both went outside and then down the street a little way.

* * *

"So what's the deal?" he asked as they came to a stop.

"Well, I didn't realise we were telling people now, and I don't remember you being someone to break your word so easily, but why did you tell Rome?" she said and Brian looked at her strangely.

"Tell him about what?" he said with a momentary mind blank, "hold up, I didn't tell him anything."

"Are you sure?" she said and he raised his eyebrow at her.

"Listen, I haven't said anything to anyone, have you?" he replied.

"No I haven't."

"Then why'd you think Rome knew something?" Brian questioned her.

"Something he said, but ok, you haven't told anyone, I haven't, so leave it at that," she said and he nodded.

"What did he say?" he asked and she shook her head.

"It was nothing, don't worry about it," she said turning to walk off.

* * *

Brian just stood there and watched her walk off, he wanted to know what on earth Rome had said, because to make her question him about telling anyone about their history it must have been pretty close.

'What the fuck did he say?' he thought as he walked back up the street and up the path to the house.

He spent the rest of the afternoon and night with that same thought revolving around his head, and he fell asleep that night still thinking about it.

* * *

Morgan slipped into bed and turned to look out the window at how beautiful an island it was, but that didn't last long, because she started thinking about Brian again.

"God, please, why can't I just wake up in the morning and completely forget about him, why?" she whispered to herself and turning to face the wall and feeling her eyes get heavier and heavier as she wiped a little tear away.


	5. New Job

**__**

Hey, here's the new chapter, sorry for the delays. I've just gotten onto my school holidays, for two weeks! But most of them will be spent working at home, I don't get to go anywhere at all, it sucks. But I hope that you all get some sort of enjoyment out of this, please please review, I feel so isolated and disconnected from everyone and everything that it let's me know that there's at least one person out there ya know. Well Scottish Lass, lol that was a good call girl, Cry Me a River, that really made me laugh, I didn't realise how much she cried, but looking back over it, dayuumm! haha Penning Fantasy, here's another one, but I know it's not really going to be that good, like the rest, they all suck, but maybe you'll like it...... hope so anyway. To everyone else who has reviewed over the past 4 chapters, I really appreciate it, like you wouldn't believe..... So keep it up, and enjoy.

* * *

"Mr Deluka, it's fantastic to meet you!" Morgan smiled sickly sweet.

Vincent Deluka was a short Italian man with a crooked smile and deceitful grey eyes. His attire was very much Bahamas, the silk shirt and khaki shorts, then the brown leather sandals adorning his near perfectly manicured feet.

"Miss Howard, the pleasure is all mine," he said taking her hand and kissing it, she smiled but on the inside she felt her stomach churning and had to hold down the urge to puke.

* * *

"So Brian, be honest, do you know Morgan from somewhere else?" Rome asked his friend.

Brian looked at him peculiarly, "what the fuck makes you say that?"

"Well man have you known her before, cause why do y'all hate each other so god damn much?" Rome pushed on.

"Bro I told you, I haven't met her before! Shit what the hell's your problem? We hate each other, that's how it is, always has been now fuckin leave it!" Brian stormed away.

Rome was a little shocked at his reaction; he practically flew off the wall at him.

Monica came back in to the house through the front door as she saw Rome giving Brian a peculiar look as Brian looked pissed off and walked away and slammed the door to his room.

"What's up here?" she said and Rome just looked at her and shook his head.

"Now's not the time to try and crack onto him _chica_," he bit at her sarcastically.

Monica glared at him, she was outraged he'd say something like that to her, "what'd you say?"

"You heard me," Rome answered as he flopped on the couch and flicked aimlessly through channels.

* * *

'This is all going to come out one day,' he thought as he breathed out heavily and ran his hands over his face.

'No matter how long we try and hide it one way or another everyone's gonna find out,' Brian said over in his mind as he laid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling and the lethargically moving cane ceiling fan rotating in lazy circles and providing something for him to focus on.

* * *

Morgan took off her heels and held them as she walked along the wet sand of the shore line on the beach as she made her way home after a long day, only to wake up tomorrow and do it all again. She just wanted to escape at home, but she couldn't, he was there now, she could never relax, not at work and not at home either.

She just wished that one day he'd just go away, so she could stop loving him and beating herself up all the time for them breaking up. But she knew that it wouldn't happen anytime soon, and it frustrated her and made her even angrier with him than before.

Everything about him infuriated her, because she loved everything, there was not one thing she hated, and in a strange way that's what made her hate him more, because she couldn't.

No matter what had happened, and what he'd done, there was no way she could hate him, she always wanted to believe him when he'd said that there was nothing happening with Mia, but there was her usual paranoid subconscious convincing her 24/7 that he was just lying. That after 4 years everything they had had meant nothing to him anymore, and that she meant nothing to him anymore.

She knew she was stupid to still think about him all the time, because there was no way that they were ever going to get back together, not after everything that had been said, not after what she'd said.

* * *

"You fucked it all up, god I'm such an idiot," Brian said as he sat up and ran his hands through his hair sighing.

"Everything was perfect, until I went and screwed it all up," he said once more and stood up and banged his head on the door before he opened it up and stepped back out.

* * *

"Mariana, how was the first day?" Rome smiled and she gave him the finger.

"It was just fantastic, if that creep checks me out one more time I'll knock him out," she smirked and Rome laughed.

"Hip hop and alcohol time!" Morgan said as she chucked her heels on the floor and went to the fridge and pulled out a beer and Rome put on 50 Cent – What Up Gangsta.

Morgan smiled and took a mouthful of the liquid and sat down on the floor and leant against the couch.

Rome's mobile phone started ringing and he picked it up.

"Roman, we need you and Monica down here straight away to set you both up," Dunn said down the phone and Rome groaned.

"Yeah man," he said as he hung up.

Morgan looked over at Rome when he was on the phone and she laughed a bit when he groaned and then he hung up.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Gotta go girl," he said and she nodded.

"Just you?" she asked again, she was dreading he'd say that both he and Monica had to leave. She didn't want to be alone with Brian; she couldn't handle it.

"Nah gotta take Monica with me," he said and her worst fears were realised.

She tried not to look nervous or angry, "yeah, poor you huh!" she said quietly and he laughed.

"Yep, three guesses where she is?" he said and Morgan smiled.

"No idea..." Morgan replied sarcastically.

Brian came out into the lounge room and Morgan snorted, and Rome busted up laughing.

"Ok _now_ I have no idea," she said and Rome laughed and they knocked fists.

"Bro where's Monica?" Rome asked Brian who looked at him annoyed.

"How am I supposed to know," he answered and shook his head and went into the kitchen.

Monica came out of her room and Rome looked from Brian to her and she returned his look and Morgan couldn't help but laugh.

"Ok girls, break it up," she said standing up and snapping her fingers in front of Rome who started laughing and Monica shook her head.

"We gotta go Monica," Rome said and Monica looked at him blankly for a second until it clicked in that it was for Bilkins.

"Ok," she nodded and grabbed her purse and they both left.

* * *

Morgan turned off her music and slammed down the bottle she was drinking from on the bench in front of where Brian was standing, glared at him right in the eyes and walked off down the hall and went into her room and slammed the door, enough to make the wall hangings shake.

"WOW! WHERE DID YOU LEARN HOW TO DO THAT?" he yelled out and she sat on the edge of her bed and clenched her hands into fists.

"FUCK YOU ASSHOLE! WHY DON'T YOU TAKE A FLYING LEAP OFF A 90 STOREY BUILDING!" she yelled back and he knew what to expect.

"WHILE WE'RE AT IT, WHY DON'T YOU?" He yelled right back at her.

"FUCK YOU!" she replied, she couldn't say anything else; she was in the middle of a blinding rage.

"COME ON SWEETHEART, YOU SAID THAT BEFORE, BUT, IF THAT'S WHERE THIS IS GOING, FUCK YOU RIGHT BACK!" Brian yelled at her before he turned on sickeningly loud rock music, to blend out any reply from her.

Morgan saw that as the straw that broke the camel's back, she'd had enough, she sprang up from the bed and let the door fly open as she stormed off down into the lounge room again and turned off the music as Brian landed an enormous, hard punch into the bag on the veranda.

She found her black thongs by the entrance to the hallway, she slid them on and slipped through the partially opened veranda door as she stopped dead still, Brian stood with his hands on the bag and they stared at each other and Morgan was in the split, she wanted to punch him so hard and let him feel the pain she went through every day. But then, that wouldn't even be close to how she really felt, she couldn't give him enough pain to really do what she felt justice. But she was so angry, she felt like she had to beat him, one swift knock.

She bit down the urge, she couldn't hit him, even though, and that's what she felt like. Because she knew she'd regret it as soon as she did, maybe for a hundredth of a second before the regret and after the action, she'd feel relief, but she knew it wasn't worth it.

Brian looked back at her, he was so mad; he just wanted to block her out completely. He almost felt like he needed to go off back to Frankee, but he knew he couldn't do that to her anymore. It wasn't right, he couldn't just keep using her for sex to keep his mind off her, and it just wasn't fair. Because one day, Frankee would get more than fed up, would want to know if she was anymore to him than the back up plan when he couldn't forget about Morgan.

He hated that she was doing this to him, he hated that he fucked up their relationship, he hated that he made her feel for a second that he didn't love her. He hated even more the fact that she would never believe him, he hated she doubted him, he hated she left him, he hated the way she made him feel, he hated that he couldn't stop loving her, he hated even more that he could never stop thinking about her.

He wanted to be free, but he knew, he couldn't live without her. He knew that he needed her with him, no matter what; he needed her. Every second Dunn tried cracking onto her made him so angry, but bitter, because he would feel possessive, that she was his and no one else's, but then the bitterness would remind him, she wasn't his anymore, she could do whatever the hell she wanted.

"So what, you not going to knock me out now or something?" Brian broke the silence and she shook her head.

"No, why waste anymore energy, I wasted enough of that every night wondering where the hell you were at 3:30 am, whether you were with her, sleeping with her, whether you even gave a damn that I loved you and that I'd given you everything I had. That seemed to waste most of my energy," Morgan bit at him and that hurt more than anything she could've done to him.

"Yeah, I can agree there, I wasted so much time telling you the god damn truth, that I wasn't cheating on you, that I loved you and I fucking meant it, I wasted the time trying to get you to believe me, but you didn't, so that all went down the drain then," he said back with an edge to it and she felt it sting.

"Well, maybe you should've not bothered, because, you wasted your time lying, what do you think I was blind? Did you think that I couldn't tell you had something for her? I mean, come on, did you really think I wouldn't notice, when you'd hardly kiss me anymore, when you'd stop hugging me as often? Shit, who were you trying to kid really? Inform me please, I would just love to know," Morgan said standing with her hand on her hip as Brian looked at her and he tried to think back to the last few weeks they had together.

"How could I kiss you, how could I hug you? You wouldn't let me touch you! So maybe you need to tell me something, because I wanna know how the hell I could've kissed you, or even touched you, you wouldn't let me get close to you at all. Those last few weeks I swear we didn't even make contact, at all, we slept in the same bed, but you know I honestly don't think we made any contact at all, so Morgan, you need to ask yourself that question, because it really has me screwed up, how you could ask me why, yet it's really you needing to ask yourself," Brian said and she'd hit a dead end, what he'd said had been so true, he'd caught her out.

Morgan just stood there, she couldn't find anything to say, he was absolutely right, the last few weeks he'd try and kiss her and she'd pull away and he'd try and hug her and she'd shrug him off. No matter what he did she'd find a way to push him out. He'd try and take her away, but she'd just say no, she had to work. He'd try to sleep with her, but she'd say she was tired. She knew that it was on her; he didn't not try. But she knew the reason she did it was that she felt that he loved Mia, and he had feelings for Mia and not for herself, so she just decided to push him away, try and make the pain stop.

"Maybe I did push you away, because at the time, it was the only way to make the pain stop, even though it didn't. It was the only reasonable way I could find to try and make myself not hurt. Even though I did, I'd just hurt more, so Brian, thankyou, because you made me realise that next time, if I ever get into the situation, I should just up and leave right away, not stick around and get hurt when you go off and try and play me for a fool."

Morgan didn't wait around for the answer, she wanted out she just jogged down the steps and out onto the path and down onto the sand of the beach as she walked away.

Brian just watched her walk away and landed a punch in the bag again with the last bit of strength left. He walked back inside and fell onto the couch and turned on the television.

* * *

Rome and Monica got back to the front door and Rome pushed in front of her and walked inside.

"Where's Morgan bro?" Rome asked as Brian looked over at the door.

"Fucks me, she pissed off somewhere," he answered dryly.

"Damn, leave you two alone and you near kill each other," Rome said and Monica poured a glass of water and went and sat on a chair in the lounge room.

* * *

Morgan came back in the front door a short time later all smiles and Monica looked up at her.

"Hey, why so cheery?" she asked.

"Got hit on by a cute Brazilian guy, asked me out to a club tomorrow night," Morgan said and Monica smiled.

"Nice!" she said and Morgan laughed.

"Yeah," she smiled blissfully.

She knew she'd never fall in love, but it was just so nice to have someone show some interest in her, plus he was a really great guy, he was really funny and sweet.

She wanted something to pick her up from the sadness and pain; she was finding it harder and harder to escape.

"Y'all want pizza?" Rome asked and the general answer was yes.

* * *

Brian just moved off the couch and went out and sat on the steps. He looked out at the dark sky and wished as usual that she was in his arms.

But then, he woke up to himself as usual, that those days were gone.

* * *

Later that night Morgan could hardly keep her eyes, open, she was worn out from their argument. She got up and went into her room and put on a singlet top and a pair of shorts and crawled into bed and closed her eyes to recede into sleep.

* * *

_**New York City 1999**_

She got to the door and slipped the key card through the lock and waited for the little green light and the click to unlock the door. She got what she was waiting for and she turned the handle.

She found their hotel room dark, but the hall to their room was glowing a soft orange. She smiled and looked around the best she could for him, but he was nowhere in sight.

"Bri, where are you?" she asked as she felt strong arms slip around her waist and soft lips on her neck, his chest against her back as shivers ran down her spine.

"Ok don't worry, found you," she smiled as she closed her eyes for a few seconds and his lips hit hers.

"Hi," he smiled at her and she giggled.

"Hey," she said back and he smiled as she kissed him.

They eventually found their way to the foot of the bed, the room had small candles ablaze and Morgan's jaw dropped looking around, she turned to him and he grinned at her and she smiled.

"Wow..." was all she could say before he swept her up and laid her down on their bed and she pulled him down over her and they kissed again passionately.

* * *

"Happy memories my ass," she found herself saying as she sat up in bed; she'd woken up in the early hours of the morning.

Morgan laid back and tried her best to get back to sleep, but she couldn't.

* * *

Brian tossed and turned; he hadn't gotten any sleep at all, just lying in his bed. He felt too much pain to go to sleep, he couldn't get himself past it, he couldn't forget her, and he couldn't stop loving her.

He eventually got fed up and pushed the blankets off and sat up and put his feet down onto the cool, wooden floorboards as he hung his head in his hands.

He looked over at the clock on the table beside his bed and saw in the glowing red that the time was 4:30am. He stood up and paced the width of the room before he decided he was going to go out into the house.

* * *

Morgan shifted over so she was on her side, she curled up and pulled the sheets up around her chin as she looked out the French doors to the dark garden, the shadows and shapes of the plants were ghostly lit by the enchanting golden moonlight.

She heard the sound of passing footsteps and wondered who was awake, she was thinking it might have been Rome up for his near usual midnight binge, she couldn't stand being alone with her thoughts and their memories anymore, she had to get out and forget, talk to someone to get her mind away from it.

She pushed the sheets off her and sat up and swung her legs off the bed and pushed upwards with her arms, as her legs felt slightly shaky from not being used, and from the lack of strength she had. She tied her messy hair back into a loose bun and scratched the top of her left arm nonchalantly as she made her way to the door; a small yawn escaping her.

* * *

Brian sat down on one of the lounge chairs and sprawled out, leaning his head back and sighing and closing his eyes.

* * *

Morgan walked down the hall and was expecting to see Rome in the lounge, sandwich in hand. But she didn't, she saw Brian sprawled out with his eyes closed.

Morgan thought he was asleep, she looked him over and remembered how she'd wake up, just like she had before, and she'd look over at him and he'd have the most peaceful expression, that made her feel safe. She'd move into his arms and she'd be safe and warm again, she'd always fall back asleep.

Morgan walked out onto the veranda and sat down on the steps and rested her head against the railings, she breathed out a sigh and watched the night sky, the ocean and listened to the whooshing of the waves.

* * *

Brian watched her; he looked out through the glass door and watched over her, he rested his eyes for 15 minutes.

He opened them back up slowly and she was asleep on the stairs, he knew he couldn't leave her out there all night, he padded across the floor and slid open the door ever so quietly as to not wake her up. He scooped his arms under her knees and across her back and lifted her up gently and carefully so she wouldn't wake up.

She made a small noise in her sleep and he moved carefully and carried her to her room and laid her back in her bed again and pulled the sheets up over her. He stood at her doorway for a few seconds as she snuggled down into her pillows, he sighed and closed the door.

He stood in the hallway, indecisive as what to do. Should he go back to bed and toss and turn and dream about her again, should he go back in the lounge and nap and wake up with a head/back/body ache, should he go out to the beach and try and clear his mind, come to the same conclusions as always, he loved her completely and he needed her back desperately.

He just decided to go back to bed. He shut the door behind him and climbed back into bed and lay facing the window, observing the ocean and the sky through the glass.

* * *

Morgan woke up the next morning back in bed, she had no idea how she'd gotten there, the last she remembered she was out on the veranda sitting on the steps. She figured maybe she was half asleep when she went back to bed so that's why she couldn't remember coming back to bed.

She woke up with a feeling in the back of her mind, something she couldn't shake. It was familiar, warm and safe. It had been a long time since she'd felt that way and she didn't know why she all of a sudden felt it again that morning.

Morgan got up and trudged out to the kitchen for her usual orange juice. Brian and Rome were already up and having breakfast.

Brian watched her walk in, but he didn't make eye contact with her. He realised that earlier that morning was the first time he'd held her in his arms for over 3 years, and she had absolutely no idea.

* * *

Morgan got dressed into a black pencil skirt, and a black satin business shirt, she left the top buttons undone and turned the collar up, she put on a thin, glitzy silver chain and her watch and silver cuff adorned her wrists.

* * *

"Miss Howard," Vincent Deluka gave her his slimy smile and kissed the back of her hand, Morgan felt the bile rise in her throat.

"Please Mr Deluka, call me Mariana!" she twittered with the mock sweet disposition and he smiled again.

"As long as you my dear call me Vincent," he said taking her hand again and she felt an insanely strong urge to dry-reach.

"Please forgive me, I was so busy yesterday I couldn't show you around properly or show you what you had to do, so I shall take you on the grand tour now," he smiled at her and looked her up and down and she had to fight the temptation to knock him out.

"Sounds great," she said cheerfully as she allowed herself to be lead away.

* * *

"So man, how did you sleep?" Rome asked as he and Brian were setting up bugs and a phone monitor on Morgan's cell phone and Brian's so that all correspondence that Deluka had with them could be recorded.

"Shit, how bout you bro?" Brian said.

"Good, bro is there something up with you?" Rome asked concerned with his friend, he was always tired lately, not himself, he'd get pissed off over the littlest things.

"Nah man, why'd you say that?" Brian asked curiously, he was genuinely interested in why Rome would say that, maybe how much pain he was going through was finally starting to show?

"No offence bro, but you fly off the wall at just about anything now days that's all, not actin yourself," Rome said and Brian couldn't help but laugh.

* * *

Monica decided to leave the guys set up, she went down to the local markets to go shopping.

She wanted to buy a new bikini, and a new outfit, she needed something to make Brian take an interest in her again, she didn't know why he stopped calling.

She found a new white bikini and a white mini dress and they looked perfect, she paid for them and walked on.

* * *

The day was closing again and Brian was nearly dead on his feet from lack of sleep, knowing that he probably wouldn't get too much that night either.

* * *

Morgan came home and was exhausted from being so cheerful and unlike herself all day, she had to stand him looking her up and down, and what she also suspected, mentally undressing her. It was so degrading and disgusting, she never took that shit from anyone.

Morgan fell onto the couch and grabbed a pillow and put it on Rome's legs and lay down.

"Go right ahead girl!" Rome laughed and Morgan smirked.

"Have you had a sleazy Italian business man sizing you up all day?" she asked him and he laughed.

"No."

"I win," she finished with a grin and he couldn't help but laugh.

* * *

Monica traipsed through the door again a little later, shopping in hands and a small smile on her face as she went into her room and put down her purchases and fell back on her bed and smiled.

She had a plan to make Brian fall in love with her, all she had to do was execute it.


	6. Exploitation

**Hey, here's a new chapter for this one, I've been trying to overcome a crippling battle with writters block as of late, I've decided to stop writing pointless poetry and the like so I'll just stick to stuff I can actually do, maybe not well, but can do. Anyways, hopefully someone will get enjoyment here, and hope to actually see some reviews, if you like, let me know, if you have anyideasor thoughts,whatever REVIEW!!**

**_The usual disclaimer stuff here - I only own the original characters all other characters belong to The Fast and The Furious, 2 Fast 2 Furious and their creators and the like._**

* * *

Brian tore back into the room; she scowled at him. 

"What's the problem now?" Morgan said sarcastically as he narrowed his eyes at her and she stared him down the best she could.

"What's the problem? Morgan, what is the problem? You're sitting there acting like the victim, you were the one who left, not me! Just remember, it was your choice," Brian summed up his conclusion to yet another argument.

"Who says I'm acting like the victim here Brian? I know I left. But in the scheme of things you didn't seem to mind that much…"

"Oh please, what's this leading to now?" he said leaning on the doorframe as she pulled her legs out from underneath her and crossed them, getting comfortable again.

"Please don't tell me that you actually thought I didn't know about everything that happened with that case, I know you and _her_ had a thing going, I know exactly what happened with them. You make this all out to seem like I'm just over exaggerating everything; that you never did all those things that stupid, paranoid Morgan thought you did… Brian, games up, it has been for a long time, I know you and Mia were pretty much straight on after we broke up, common knowledge really, I'm not stupid!" Morgan said with a deathly calm and an unwavering tone.

"You know what, apparently there's nothing here that I can say, because as you just made ever so god damn clear, it's common knowledge and you really don't need, nor want to hear my side of it, so Morgan, I give up, you know what I said that day, about trying to get along, forget about it. It's just not going to work, I know I've tried; it makes me wonder about whether you've actually tried, because lately it's you causing more of these _golden_ moments than I ever have," Brian said and Morgan looked at him with an eyebrow raised.

He still stood there looking at her and she met his eyes and opened her mouth to speak again.

"You know something, I've shed way too many tears these past 3 years over your sorry self. I think I'll follow your lead here, go and get into a few meaningless cheap relationships. Seems to be working for you…" she said with that same calmness and got off the couch and walked out of the room past him and kept her head held high and went into her room.

"The thing that scares me is she makes a point," Brian muttered to himself as he sat down on the couch and flicked on the television.

Morgan sat on the edge of her bed and drummed her fingers on her knees. Her thoughts racing a million miles an hour through her mind.

"He made a point." She said softly to herself.

* * *

Rome came back inside from going down to a local café to get some hamburgers, Brian was sitting on the couch, remote in hand, not a clue about what was going on on the television, he seemed to be pretty focused on a candle in a black holder on a shelf up on the wall. 

"Nice candle?" Rome remarked with a sly grin and Brian snapped out of thought and threw a pillow at him.

"Back off bro," he warned and Rome chuckled and threw a bag of food over to him.

* * *

Morgan, for once wasn't overly fazed by one of their disputes, for once she didn't really let it affect her. She glanced at her clock and nearly had a heart attack. 

"Oh shit!" she hissed quickly moving off the bed and getting a pair of black dress pants and a slinky, beaded deep purple top. She ran into the bathroom and got changed, scrunching her hair and putting on some deep red lipstick, black eyeliner and a touch of mascara. She put a tiny bit of blush and bronzer on her cheeks and the bronzer lightly over her forehead, down her nose and around her cheeks and chin.

She sprayed perfume on and ran out of the bathroom and into the lounge room, picking up a strappy black stiletto on her way.

"Rome! Rome you have to help me!" she yelped hopping around getting the straps done up on the one shoe she had.

"Yeah girl what's the problem and where are you going all done up like that?" he grinned.

"There has to be a shoe exactly like this around here somewhere! It's a matter of life or death!" Morgan said hurriedly searching around as Rome laughed and got up and took a good look at the shoe she had on; before going by the door and picking up the matching shoe.

He dangled it in the air and she smiled.

"THAT'S THE ONE!" she smiled as he chucked it to her and she caught it and sat on the edge of Rome's chair putting it on.

"Thanks Rome! Lifesaver you are!"

"Now Morgan, what's the rushing around for?" Rome asked, Brian just tried his hardest not to look at how beautiful she was and getting into a mess again.

"I'm going out on a date, and time slipped away from me real fast!" she smiled and he grinned.

She snatched her purse up off the counter and patted Rome on the back before jogging out the door and taking the steps quickly.

Morgan smiled when she saw him in a white button up shirt with long sleeves and a pair of black pants and shoes holding a red rose waiting for her at the entrance to the restaurant.

They talked for hours, just enjoying each other's company, talking a bit about their pasts, Morgan obviously skipping over the fact that she was a cop.

* * *

Brian just decided to hit the hard stuff a little and wallow for a little longer.

* * *

Rome wanted to know exactly what was up with him, it wasn't often that Rome tried to be Dr Phil, but the way Brian was acting lately was really starting to convince him that something was seriously wrong. 

"Brian, seriously, what's up wit you man?" Rome asked as Brian looked at him blankly and took another long swig out of a half empty bottle of Corona.

"Nothing man, I'm fine," Brian said and Rome just looked at him.

"Come on bro, it's obvious," Rome pushed on, still receiving the same look from Brian.

"What's obvious?" Brian said, Rome knew that this was going to go no where, he'd just deny anything Rome said and then they'd probably end up clashing.

"Nothing man, you know what, I can't be bothered going through this with you. There's something wrong that you don't wanna tell, then fine. I'm going out, you can stay here drinking yourself blind but I'm not sittin here watchin," Rome said seriously as he stood up and took his wallet off the bench and walked out the door.

Brian just stared after him and knocked back another Corona.

"There's nothing wrong with me for Christs sake," he said out loud to himself.

* * *

Morgan, or Mariana as Raoul knew her was having such a great time, they were relaxed and just kept talking and occasionally went up and danced to the island music from the live band. 

She hadn't thought about Brian once, the first time in 3 years and he hadn't entered her mind once.

* * *

Monica came in and sat down on the couch next to Brian, she smiled at him and he gave a half grin before getting up and going to the fridge to get another drink. 

"Want one?" he asked holding up his bottle.

"Yeah why not."

Monica smoothed out her skirt flicked her hair while he was out of the room momentarily.

She was going to make something happen. It wasn't going to happen by itself obviously, she knew now it was completely in her hands.

Brian came back and passed her a drink and sat down again and took the bottle cap off his as Monica struggled a little intentionally with hers.

Brian laughed and grinned at her and she smiled and passed it over to him and he busted the cap off.

"Thanks, that wasn't going to come off," she said and he laughed.

"Yeah, no problems."

They sat in relative silence for 10 minutes more. Out of the blue Monica kissed him and he kissed her back, she pulled herself up and straddled his legs with her knees and she was moving to take his shirt off, she'd gotten 3 buttons undone and he stopped her.

"No I can't do this," he said and she looked at him.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because it's not really fair on you," he said and she looked at him strangely and got off of him.

"Um, is there someone else?"

"Well, yeah, but we're not together anymore," Brian said and Monica smiled.

"So what's the problem?" she said teasingly sitting up on her knees.

"I couldn't give you what you were after, I love her and I'm sick of running around trying to forget about her because it ain't working. I've been doing it for a long time and it still is exactly the same as it was back then, listen I'm sorry, but I can't," Brian said standing up and walking down the hall and into his room.

Monica fell back on the couch and sighed, laying her head back and taking a deep breath.

"Great…" she sighed softly.

'Ok so that didn't work,' she said in her mind as she sat up and ran a hand through her hair.

* * *

Brian sat on the edge of his bed in almost utter shock, he'd had the opportunity to sleep with her and he passed it up because of Morgan. That was never usually the case, anything he could use to forget about her, for once he finally realised that it just didn't work. It did for a little while, but it stopped when he saw her again after a year in Miami. 

He laid back and put his hands over his face and breathed out heavily staring at the ceiling. This was slowly and painfully killing him, every breath he took he'd think about her, every step he'd take he'd still be thinking about her.

He didn't know what to do anymore, his grip was getting looser and looser and his control was slipping and fading so fast it was near incomprehensible. He was beginning to feel more and more like an empty shell rather than a human being. His heart and spirit was becoming so devoid of function it was frightening him, he knew he had to stop it, but he couldn't.

It was like those dreams, he knew he needed and had to run, yet his feet were imbedded into the ground, then the semi truck comes along and everything goes black.

Brian heard someone stop at his door then a piece of paper was slid underneath. He sat up and looked down and walked over to the door and picked up the paper off the floor.

'One day extremely soon we're going to have to work extremely closely, does that truce need to be called again in order for this to work?' he read, it was in Morgan's handwriting.

She waited by the door for him to write a reply.

Brian found a pen and wrote back, then slid it back underneath the door.

Morgan picked up the paper and unfolded it and read his reply.

'Ball's in your court Morgana,' he wrote using her proper name.

"So be it," she said loud enough for him to hear and went down to her room and threw the paper into the bin by the door and shut the timber door behind her and turned on her light.

She kicked off her heels and took a hairband off her chest of drawers and pulled her wavy chocolate brown hair back into a low ponytail. She then walked out and into the bathroom to wash off her makeup and brush her teeth.

Morgan washed her mouth out and stared at herself in the mirror. The blank expression mirrored how she felt, she was so lonely it was breaking her down, she was praying Raoul would help her to be herself again, she'd never been the same since Brian and she didn't want to live sad, lonely, bitter and with a broken heart.

She'd been living as half a person for too long, she needed to be whole again.

She splashed cold water onto her face and patted it dry with the hand towel hanging on the rack before going back into the hall and out into the lounge room where Monica was sitting on the couch deep in thought.

"How was the date?!" she asked smiling broadly.

Morgan grinned, "really really good," she replied and Monica smiled.

"So come on! Details!" Monica pushed on and Morgan laughed, knowing she was in for some major girl talk, but she'd had a good night and felt like maybe that's what she needed.

Morgan settled down on a chair and curled her legs up and they began to talk.

* * *

Brian spent yet another night tossing and turning. His sleep was disrupted every few hours or so and he spent more time tyring to get back to sleep than actually sleeping. 

He watched the sunrise over the water and saw how beautiful it was, he stared at it until the sky was losing the pink and orange glow of the new sun and blossoming out into a crisp blue.

He sighed and pushed himself up to rest on his elbows, then gradually moving to get out of bed. He pulled a dark blue shirt on and walked out of the room and into the kitchen.

"Bro you look like shit," Rome said as he swallowed a mouthful of orange juice and took a great mouthful of toast.

"Yeah and you look like Denzel Washington man," Brian said back and Rome laughed.

"How much sleep you get last night?" Rome asked.

Brian sat on a stool and rested his head in his hands.

"2, 3 hours probably," he said groggily.

* * *

Morgan smiled as she laid some papers onto Vincent's desk. He was sitting at his computer when he looked stumped. 

Morgan picked up on this and thought it could pose to be a prime opportunity to pounce and get Brian and Rome in there.

"Anything wrong Mr Deluka?" she asked sweetly.

"Well, yes actually. Nothing's working out," he said as he took a sip of the coffee she'd made him.

"Mmm, beautiful as always," he said savouring the flavour of the hot liquid and Morgan put on a girly giggle, making herself sick to the stomach and making a mental note to scald the shit out of herself when she got home.

"Is there anything I could help you with?" she asked.

"I have no ideas how to do a collection of payments due to me, any ideas?" he asked.

Morgan read over his information, she twigged these payments were drug money, they were scattered around the islands, with the bulk of them being in a very close proximity to where they were.

Vincent split his glances from trying to look down her top to what she was reading. Morgan just trying her best to ignore it, perhaps show a little more if need be.

"So my lovely Mariana, can you help me?" he asked with a sleazy grin.

"As a matter of fact," she smiled back and he chuckled.

"Please do go on," he urged her.

"Well, see you have a lot of road collections to make in this area, and then another half of those to do by going around the islands, perhaps you could get drivers in to make the collections, have them take some protection with them just in case, and they make the collections and take them back to you," she said looking from him to the paperwork.

Vincent put a finger to his chin and perused her idea.

"Do you know anyone?" he asked her and she grinned.

"Two guys, completely reliable, safe and trustworthy, and I know they'd be more than willing with some 'encouragement'" she put extra emphasis on encouragement.

Vincent chuckled heartily, "by means of encouragement you're suggesting money," he smiled at her and she nodded and laughed.

"Well yeah most probably," she said and he smiled and she returned it with a laugh.

"So dear, tell me more about these two guys," he said and Morgan continued to tell him about Rome and Brian to get them in.

By the end of the day she'd had a serious breakthrough, the plan was going ahead tremendously well, the collections needed to take place in 4 months time and Vincent wanted to see Brian and Rome in 2 months.

Morgan smiled as she came through the door.

* * *

"Rome, I need to come with you, you better bring Brian too," she said and Rome looked at her with a raised eyebrow and nodded. 

"Aiight girl, wait there I'll get his punk ass up," Rome said as he went and knocked on Brian's door.

Brian stirred and grumbled, pulling his pillow over his head. He'd tried to catch up on sleep as much as he could during the day.

Rome turned the door knob and found it wasn't locked, he walked into Brian's room and ripped the pillow out of Brian's hands.

"Fuck, what man what!" Brian grumbled with his arm over his eyes.

"We gotta go, you better hit the shower man," Rome said as Brian nodded and sat up as Rome shut the door on his way out.

Brian found a pair of dark blue jeans and a grey t-shirt, he went into the bathroom and closed the door and turned on the jet of warm water from the shower.

He got out and shaved, brushed his teeth and put on some cologne before he got changed.

* * *

Morgan sat at the table and swallowed her last little bit of water left in the glass and noticed Brian had gotten out of the shower and was ready to go. She stood up and walked out onto the veranda to get Rome. 

Rome was talking to a couple of girls in bikini's and Morgan laughed.

"Rome, sorry to spoil the party, but we have to go now," Morgan said and Rome nodded and she laughed as she climbed the steps and slipped on her heels.

She was wearing a pair of dark grey slacks and a crisp white lacy camisole top, her hair was twisted up into a messy bun and she had bits of fringe cascading down to frame her face.

Brian looked at her and felt his breath catch in his throat as he tried to ignore the feelings he was getting.

* * *

Rome came back in and the three left, they walked down the ferry dock and waited to catch a ferry to a nearby island where Bilkins and Markham were staked out under false identities also. 

The ferry came and Rome, Brian and Morgan each bought tickets and got onboard. Rome stood up the front and Morgan took a seat on a bench and Brian sat near to her because it was the only space left free.

Brian turned away and looked out over the water and the islands. Morgan found herself stealing glances in his direction, she caught a smell of the cologne he was wearing and nearly went weak, it was the same old one he always wore that could melt her and send shivers through her in split seconds. So many memories were attached to that scent.

She couldn't take it anymore, she stood up and regained some composure before she walked over and stood by Rome and they started talking. Brian watched her walk away and turned away again before he could start letting himself feel the need to jump up and go and grab her and kiss her as deeply as possible.

* * *

They filed off the ramp and onto the jetty in a small very busy port on a larger island than that they were living on. 

Rome led the way to the bungalow house he and keyed in a code before the gate would permit them to move through it.

"Damn," Brian commented looking around, the house and yards were immaculate, absolutely stunning.

"I'll say," Morgan said as she herself was stunned by the beauty of Bilkins and Markham's headquarters.

Rome, Morgan then Brian walked up the path which was enclosed into a lush archway of frangipani, hibiscus and other tropical flowering trees.

Bilkins came to the door, he was wearing a pair of leather sandals, a bright green shirt with coral all over it and a pair of blue boardshorts with a large fish on one leg and a straw hat.

"Nice outfit Bilkins," Morgan smiled as they approached.

"Wasn't expecting company," he said and she smiled and patted his back as they walked through the door.

"So Agent Forrester, pulling out already?" Markham snickered as he came to the door, Morgan's mood soured sufficiently and she just looked at him in disgust.

"As a matter of fact you fucking asshole, I came here because I needed to see Agent Bilkins with details regarding the case and also to update you, Officer Pearce and Officer O'Conner as to what the most recent actions of the suspect are and intelligence that I've gained from them," Morgan finished matter of factly putting Markham very much back in his container.

"Ok ok, so Morgan, what are these new developments?" Bilkins asked as they all went into the lounge room that was packed with wires and equipment and expensive furniture.

"Although he hasn't directly stated to me about the nature of 'collections' he has a large scale operation which is coming up that I have started helping him with. He needs to make these 'collections' from a numerous amount of 'customers' across a fairly diverse space. I suggested to him today that Officer O'Conner and Pearce would be more than willing to perform the job of making these collections, both via road and by boat from the different islands, which there are 5 that he's making collections from," Morgan started off and Rome nodded and Brian just listened intently and Bilkins grinned and Markham still had the same sneer across his face.

"Fantastic, we're finally going to nail this bastard," Bilkins said pleased.

"But, the only downside is, this operation he's planning isn't going to take place for another four months, and he wants to meet both Rome and Brian in 2 months, as the both of you aren't really supposed to know about any of this just yet," Morgan explained to Bilkins and then finished talking to both Rome and Brian.

"No, Forrester, don't exactly look at this like a downside, the more time you have under working with him the more incriminating evidence you can pick up, making our case against him somewhat significantly stronger, wouldn't you agree Markham?" Bilkins asked and Markham just looked at him and nodded like it was going to signal a firing squad onto him or something that would inflict great pain onto him.

"So do you know anything else about the actual operation or is the suspect still in a planning stage?" Markham asked breaking his silence.

"He's still planning, I put the idea in his head today about how the collections should be executed," Morgan told Markham.

"Actually, O'Conner, Forrester, I need to speak to both of you alone," Bilkins said as he stood up and Brian and Morgan followed suit, neither had any idea whatsoever of where this was leading.

Bilkins lead them both to another room and sat them both down, Morgan quickly glanced at Brian and cleared her throat as she brushed some hair back behind her ears and crossed her legs putting one knee over the other.

"This is a very important case to the FBI, Customs and just about every other agency in South Florida, is there anything that is going to be hindering the both of you to work together to full capacity that needs to be sorted out?" Bilkins asked them both.

They both shook their heads; it was imperative that they put behind their differences for the next few months until the case was wrapped up.

"I'm not saying you both have to be best friends, or even friends, I just need both of you to be extremely professional when it comes to working with Deluka in a couple of months. Now you're both experienced and somewhat highly skilled agents or officer if you prefer Brian," Bilkins motioned making a light-hearted comment towards Brian, because right now he was neither here nor there, he hadn't been made an agent as of yet, and he also was not quite a regular PD because of the undercover operations he got to work on, "and I know that both of you can put the differences beside when it comes to work and I hope that both of you do."

Morgan gave Bilkins a reassuring smile and Brian nodded.

"Oh also, just wait here for a minute," Bilkins said as he stood up and left the room.

"Sure," Brian said before Bilkins left.

Tanner walked into the room and Morgan's jaw dropped and Brian felt his stomach go into even more of a nervous knot than it was before.

Tanner laughed seeing Morgan first, she jumped up and they gave each other a hug.

"How's it goin Morgan?" Tanner smiled.

"Quite interestingly, Tanner what are you doing here?" Morgan asked.

"Well, I have stuff that Brian forgot to get seeing as he was in such a rush when he left California, and as well, I just wanted to check up on how you were going with the FBI now and Miami," Tanner said as he sat down where Bilkins was.

"Pretty good pretty good, how's the LAPD?" Morgan asked with a cheeky smile and Tanner laughed.

"You had to get your start somewhere too _Agent_," Tanner joked as Morgan stood up.

"Listen Tanner, great seeing you again! I've gotta go get some stuff sorted out with Bilkins," Morgan said and Tanner nodded in agreement and gave her another hug.

"Take care of yourself kid," he said as she smiled and left Brian and Tanner alone.

"So, Brian how's things?" Tanner asked him.

Brian laughed sarcastically, "been a hell of a lot better," he said and Tanner nodded.

"Good to be back on the force?" Tanner tried to start more of a conversation, the Brian sitting across from him wasn't even close to the one he used to know.

"I don't even know anymore," Brian said, he needed to talk to someone so terribly and Tanner knew his past fairly well, Brian needed to get everything off his chest.

"What's up Brian?" Tanner asked, he knew Brian pretty well and he could tell Brian was about to collapse from the inside out.

Brian just took a deep breath and Tanner could see how terrible he really looked, his eyes were dull and his skin was pale, like he hardly spent any time in the sun anymore, he was getting bad and nearly at the point of no return.

"You and Morgan still together?" Tanner asked and Brian laughed.

"Yeah, never been better," Brian said sarcastically and Tanner just shook his head with a sniff.

"How long have you two been apart?" Tanner asked.

"Before the end of the truck heists, she left me, don't blame her when I look back on it," Brian said and Tanner nodded.

"Have you moved on?" Tanner asked and Brian just looked at him.

"Not even close, every day it gets harder just to get out of bed. I haven't slept an entire night for 4 weeks at least. The only conversation I actually have with Morgan is just arguments and it's getting tiring," Brian said and Tanner patted his shoulder.

"Do you think you can go on with the case?" Tanner asked, part of the reason he was here was because Rome had told Bilkins about Brian and Bilkins couldn't think of anyone but Tanner who would be better to talk to him.

"Yeah, I've got to, it's my job. I've just gotta get this personal shit sorted out," Brian said with his head resting in his hands.

"It's all my fucking fault, if my head had done a bit more thinking I would have found another way to get in with that team," Brian confessed and Tanner just chewed his lip and was pretty worried now about Brian, just as much as Rome was.

It was like Brian was in the grips of a deep depression; he wasn't even close to the person he used to be.

"Brian, do you need to take a couple of days off, Bilkins would most likely just let you stay here for a few days then send you back in, if you want I'll organise something for you," Tanner said and Brian just nodded.

He needed to get away from Morgan for a bit, he knew he'd still be thinking about her constantly, but not having to see her might just help him enough to get him back to being human again.

* * *

**Los Angeles 2001 – 4 weeks before the heists**

He walked through the door and she drove away. He turned on a light in the hall and looked around at their quiet house. Chinese take out containers were still on the kitchen bench and a plate and knife and fork were on the plate wrack beside the sink.

He went to the fridge and got the big bottle of water out and a glass from the cupboard as a light came on and Morgan wandered out in a pair of boxer shorts and a dark blue shirt. She looked like hell on legs, her face was a puffy and her eyes were very red. Her hair was sitting around her face hiding her tear stained cheeks from his view. Her skin looked very pale and she just walked right past him as if he wasn't even there, she went straight into the bathroom and shut the door.

She wiped a few new tears away before they could fall and went to the basin and washed her face and dried it off as she stared at her sullen figure in the mirror. She couldn't bear to look at herself any longer and sat on the edge of the bathtub and rested her elbows on her knees and her face in her hands as the door opened slowly and cautiously.

Brian looked at her and felt himself become very nervous, he didn't know what to do. He stood in the doorway without saying a word, and he looked at her sitting there and he moved over and sat down beside her and put his arm around her back.

She could smell alcohol and some other girl's perfume all over him, the smell coming through to her so strongly she nearly threw up. She stood up and held her hand over her mouth to stop herself from hurling.

"Don't you dare touch me," she told him as she left the room and Brian looked at her shocked. He didn't know what to do anymore.

He stood up and found her back in their room sitting on the edge of the bed. He stood in the doorway and watched over her calculating what to say.

"Morgan, what's wrong?" Brian asked he was trying very carefully to choose his words.

She looked at him with a pained expression.

"What's wrong? I'll tell you what's wrong; I know this is a case, ok I know you have to do what you have to do. But I'm sure as hell that you don't have to come home reeking of some other little tarts perfume and something else, you don't have to lie about it and pretend like you don't know what I'm on about, like I'm some kind of paranoid psycho. That's what's fucking wrong Brian," Morgan said standing up and walking out of the room.

Brian stood there and couldn't let this go on; he ran his hand through his hair and took a deep breath. Morgan was out on the veranda of their house looking over the backyard. She sat in the hammock and drew her knees up to her chin as she listened to the sounds of traffic, music coming from a house on the street behind theirs and laughter and clanking china coming from their next door neighbours.

Brian got a pair of boxers and a black shirt out and went into the bathroom to have a shower to try and calm him down and let Morgan cool off. He really wanted to go out there and talk to her about everything, but he knew they couldn't talk about it, they'd just end up in some sort of fight and that was the last place he wanted to be with her.

Morgan turned off some lights and looked at the time and noted it was nearly 3:30 am. She got a glass of water and drank it down before she turned off the kitchen light and got into bed. She could hear the noise of the shower and just closed her eyes and tried to get to sleep.

Brian turned off the water and leant his forehead on the shower wall. He was sick of fighting all the time, the tension between them was getting so thick and it was nearly impossible to relax anymore.

He got dressed and came out of the bathroom and turned the light off behind him.

Light was filtering through the curtains in their room from the luminescent street lamps outside. She was curled up on one side of the bed with her back to him clutching onto the pillow.

Brian pulled down the covers over on the other side and got into bed. He laid on his back and looked at the ceiling and she moved a little and shifted her head on the pillow.

Morgan tried not to let herself break down again. She was becoming some completely new version, the old Morgan would never cry. This one that was coming out never seemed to stop.

He turned on his side to face her, wrapping his arms around her and putting his forehead on the back of her neck. She could feel the warmth from his breath sending chills down her spine and she couldn't bear it.

"Please don't," she said in a pained whisper.

He ignored her and still held onto her.

"Brian please just let go," she asked again, he just tightened his arms around her and put his hand over hers.

A few tears started to well up and she could barely make a noise.

"Please," she whimpered pathetically and he kissed her neck and she sobbed.

"Don't do this to me anymore," she said getting very choked up.

He gently moved her so she was facing him. He softly wiped away her tears and kissed her on the lips and she returned it. He pulled her into his arms and she buried her face into his neck and he ran his fingers up and down her spine until he felt her fall asleep in his arms.

* * *

He woke up and looked around the room, it was early morning and birds had already started to herald in the new day as the sky turned pink and orange with the rising of the sun. 

He sat up and focused his eyes to his new surroundings. He breathed out and laid back down again pulling the sheet over his face.

Looking down at the box from his old desk, the picture of them together in the plain silver frame, laying on top of a pile of folders and other personal items from his days at the LAPD.

Brian looked deep down into the picture and thought about everything that'd happened, knowing that dwelling on the past wasn't really going to help him, more or less hinder him into trying to move on from her.


	7. Thankyou

_Hey all, thanks to everyone who reviewed, I promise I'll try and give some shout outs next chapter. Right now I'm tired and I just want to get this editing done ASAP so I can go to bed, even though it's only 9:20pm. Sorry for the wait on this, I've been away working at horse sales, then I was away at my grandma's place, then I came back and had to start school again a few days later... senior has it's perks, believe me it also has it's downfalls... so is high school right:D _

_Hope you all enjoy, and I'm wondering if I've answered a few questions in this and hopefully opened up some new entries... I'm also wondering if there may be a slight amount of shock factor in here... tell me if you were! Speaking of which, REVIEW! Even if you're not a member of ffnet, review, the great thing is, you don't actually have to be a member, so there's no excuse, if you enjoy - review, if you have suggestions - review, if you didn't like - review (please make it constructive, I think flaming is pathetic, if you have nothing to say that would be of any use to the author, than I don't really deem it appropriate. Maybe that's just me?) REVIEW ANYWAYS!_

_ENJOY! I doubt anyone would, but at least try! _

* * *

2 months later… 

She stretched out in bed after the day had ended. Glad to go to sleep. Vincent was starting to really put the operation into place, she was working long hours for him but also working doubly as hard trying to gather as much incriminating evidence for Markham and Bilkins to nail him.

She slipped into a very strange dream, she felt like she was outside of her body, she was watching herself, and she had absolutely no control.

She saw herself sitting on a chair staring out into space; not knowing what was going through her mind. She looked around, it was the villa in the Bahamas, but it had elements of it that looked like her and Brian's old house in LA.

All of a sudden she was swept back inside herself. She felt more in control now; she wanted to know what she was doing sitting there staring off into space.

'Just 2 hours,' she thought.

Then, just as quickly as she'd gotten back to herself she was blown back out.

Everything went black and a door opened up and she watched as she stood up and saw Brian walk through the opened door and before Morgan knew it she was watching herself and him touching her face, watching them lean into each other.

Then 'pop' she was back inside of herself and she made sure she pushed her lips onto his as hard as she could and he pushed back and they started to kiss properly.

A loud crash of thunder woke her up and she sat up in bed staring straight ahead not knowing what to make from that dream. It was incomprehensible.

She got out of bed to go and investigate the storm brewing outside.

Walking softly to not wake anyone else she leant on the doorframe of the veranda and watched the large billowing black clouds obscure the moon and the stars blackening the night, lightning occasionally illuminating the surging waves ahead of her in the pristine ocean.

Morgan watched the storm unfolding, the thunder crashes and lightning bolts, the waves getting choppy and the clouds rolling in very fast. She got up and found a blanket and pulled it around her shoulders as she took a seat on the step.

Morgan almost felt like she was having an out of body experience because of that dream, she didn't feel like everything was real, she felt like at any moment she could just float away.

The feeling was beginning to be more and more peculiar, her fingers felt like they were going numb; same thing with her toes. Her head was swimming and her mouth felt very dry.

She tried to stand; she pushed herself and carefully stood up and held onto the railings and then the doorframe. Then her knees gave way and all the feeling left her legs and arms and she blacked out before she hit the cold timber floor in a heap.

* * *

Brian wasn't sleeping again; he just lay watching the storm through the bay doors of his room when he heard a bang out in the lounge room. He shot out of bed and pulled out his pistol from the bedside table and cocked it and held it behind his back as he opened up his door very carefully and slowly as to not make any noise, then walked softly out into the lounge room and looked around and saw no one. He looked over by the open door to the veranda and then his eyes fell over her collapsed on the floor and he started to panic. 

"Shit," he said as he put the gun down on the kitchen bench and moved over to her and knelt beside her. He picked up her limp arm and felt for a pulse, it was still there, it wasn't too strong, but for that matter it wasn't weak either.

"Morgan?" he asked as he touched her face and neck.

"Morgan, come on girl," he said again shaking her a little trying to get something out of her but still she laid motionless.

"Fuck, come on Morgan wake up," Brian was getting very worried, it'd happened once before a few years back when they were at home one night she started looking very strange, like she wasn't herself. She told him her fingers and toes were going numb and he put his hand over hers and touched her fingers and they felt like ice, and then all of a sudden she just collapsed on him and passed out.

He picked her up and carried her over to the couch, he quickly went into the kitchen and got the water jug out of the fridge and sat it on the bench while he went to get a wash cloth from the bathroom and brought it out into the kitchen and soaked it in the cold water and took it over and sat on the edge of the couch next to her and started to press it on her forehead and run it over her face and down her neck and back as she started coming around.

Brian knew last time what he did was that, and then he got her into a hot bath as soon as she came around and she seemed to get a lot better and got the feeling back in her limbs, but it wasn't going to be that easy with their current situation. He was slightly apprehensive about her reaction when she were to realise it was him there.

She made a noise and started to move a bit and he pulled the cloth off her face and she opened up her eyes and saw him sitting there looking at her.

"What are you – doing?" she asked in a groggy voice.

"Just don't fight me right now, come on you've gotta get into a bath," he said and she let him pull her up and she held onto him as he put his arm around her and started to help her to the bathroom.

"I can't feel the floor Brian," she said and he nodded and still held onto her and she was clinging to him and swaying a bit and he was holding her steady as he started running the water in the bathtub pretty hot.

"Yeah I know, just hold onto me, I'm not gonna let you go ok," he told her and she nodded.

Then it dawned on her, she was going to have to take off her clothes before she got into that bath, it was fine last time; but now…

Rain started to bucket down outside and the thunder was still rolling along.

"I can't," she started and he looked at her.

"Mor, I've seen it all before, you're just gonna have to, listen I'll turn around, is that ok?" he asked her and she took a breath and started to feel light headed and numb again.

"Yeah ok," she just swallowed down the urge she had to go against him, because she knew he was just trying to help her and she couldn't go it alone in case she passed out again in the water, or she fell; because she couldn't really get a good control of her fingers or her feet just yet.

She tried to take off her top and she started to feel unsteady again like the room was going to start spinning.

"Brian," she said and he turned around put his arm around her bare waist and looked away from her as she pulled her top over her head and chucked it onto the floor.

She covered up her breasts with her arm as he held onto her waist while she undid the ties on her boxer shorts that she was wearing with her free hand. She managed to work them off and when she did she felt very strange, the room started to go fuzzy and she felt like she was hit with a blast of snow because her body just went like ice.

Brian felt her sway pretty violently and he grabbed onto her before she could fall.

"Morgan come on, you gotta stand up a bit," he said as he tried to get her to pull herself up a bit to try and stop her from passing out on him again.

"I can't, I can't feel anything," she clung onto him for dear life.

"Listen, I really don't want to have to ask you this for fear of you later kicking my ass, but can you manage to take off your panties, or do you need help?" he asked her and she sighed.

"I'll try," she said just biting down and trying to work with him, she knew he was only trying to help her.

"Ok," he said as he held onto her waist and looked away for her again.

She managed to move off her underwear and got them to her knees before she put both her arms around his neck and he put his arms around her waist as she tried to step out of them.

"Are you alright?" he asked her, as she wouldn't let go of him terrified she'd lose her balance again and fall down.

"I can't feel anything again," she told him.

"Ok Mor, just hold onto me and I'm gonna put your legs in for you," he told her and looked at her to see if she was ok with him doing that.

"Alright," she said as she moved her arms and held onto him as he put his hand down on her calf and picked up her icy leg and put it into the hot water in the bath.

She was shaky holding onto him as he put the other one in too. She was shaking now violently holding onto his hands as she stood there with her feet in the water.

He held onto her waist as he helped her lower herself down slowly into the water.

She laid back and immersed herself into the water and started to get the feeling back into her fingertips and her toes. She closed her eyes and leant her head back.

"How are you feeling?" Brian asked her as he looked over at the door as he sat on a small stool.

"Better, the feeling's coming back more and more into my hands and my feet. But I can't really feel my back," she answered him.

"Do you want me to rub your back for you?" he asked her and she sighed and nodded slowly.

He pulled the stool he was sitting on over near to the bathtub and she sat forward and pulled her thick, wavy hair over her shoulder and off of her back and pulled her knees up and rubbed up and down her legs as he put his hands into the hot water and moved them up her back along her spine and slowly moved them out over her shoulders before he put his hands back into the water and did it again and massaged right up her back working some heat from the water into her skin.

Morgan breathed deeply as she began to feel his gentle touch on her bare skin; it was bringing back so many memories and emotions in her; she never wanted him to stop.

"Is the feeling coming back?" he asked her softly and she went to reply.

"A little bit," she said telling a tiny lie, it was coming back fairly well, but she didn't want him to stop, because she knew that once he did it was all going to be over, the feeling she'd been craving for years.

"Ok, just tell me when you want me to stop," he said and she nodded. He never wanted to stop. He just wanted to stay like that for as long as he could, he'd been missing being able to touch her for so long and by some freak happening they were in the position they were in. He wanted to know if she felt anything, whether she was praying that he'd just stop, or she was hoping he'd keep touching her and massaging her back. He wanted to know so badly how she felt about him, whether she still had the same old feelings for him like he did for her. They were becoming so intense it was hard to concentrate.

Her feeling had all returned, she was still feeling woozy, but she could feel everything now, every single movement his hands were making over her back and she was tyring to pull herself together enough to shut the doors again and suck it up and tell him to stop.

"I'm ok now," she said quietly hoping he wouldn't hear her.

"Alright," he said as he moved his hands back up her spine and over her shoulders and down her arms not wanting to take his hands off of her. But he knew he had to, after three years he'd finally got to touch her again, but it had to come to an end.

"Are you ok to get out, do you need help?" he asked as he finally managed to pull his hands away from her back and she sat up straight and covered herself up.

"I'm ok, I just feel a bit spaced, but I can feel everything, could you just please pass me a towel," she asked him and he grabbed a towel for her and passed it over and she let the plug out and the water in the bath tub started to drain away as she covered herself with the light blue fluffy towel he'd handed her and he helped her up and she put her arm around his shoulder and he put his arm around her waist as she stepped out.

For that hour something had changed. Something between them had just seemed to show itself. No matter what either of them would care to say for some reason the tension between them was released for that time. For some reason it all just disappeared.

"Morgan are you ok? Do you still need me here?" he asked her as she stood holding onto the basin to regain some composure.

"Um, can you just stay there while I get dressed, I just need something to hold onto, please?" she asked him and he couldn't help but laugh.

"What's that for?" she asked with a small smile.

"This whole situation, think about it, for the past 1 and a half years we've been at each others throats, and then we're landed here in this situation, it just doesn't make any sense," he said still with humour and she nodded and laughed in realisation.

"Yeah, you're right, it's ludicrous," she said and he nodded with her.

"How did it even end up like that? I mean just yesterday we were about to kill each other, and here we are now, after, well after that, and we're actually talking like normal people?" she said and he shrugged and shook his head.

"Yeah, you know after the million and one truces we've called this one seems to be working better, you need to do that more often," he joked with her and she shoved him in the arm lightly.

"Like fucking hell I will! It's your turn next," she said and he laughed and so did she and their eyes fell on each other and the great looming lull of conversation reared it's head and they nodded in a silent agreement and Brian turned away from her and she held onto the back of his shirt to steady herself as she got dressed again.

"Decent?" he asked her and she sniffed.

"Well, I don't think it would really matter would it?" she said and he laughed.

"True, so are you decent or should I just turn around?"

"I'm decent," she said with a smile as she rolled her eyes.

She turned serious, "thankyou," she said simply and Brian just gave her a small grin.

"That's ok, I guess it was better me than Rome or Monica, even though…" he trailed off and she shook her head.

"No really, I don't know what would've happened if it weren't for you being there when you were, and after all I've said to you over the past year you easily could've just left me there, but you didn't. Thankyou," she said to him as they looked in each other's eyes.

She made a point, really, after all that had been said between both of them; he could've just left her there and not done anything. Just gone back to bed, walked out of the room, leaving her there on the floor.

"I would never have left you there, I know too much has happened in the past, but I'm still looking out for you, even though you may think I'm talking complete crap, I am still looking out for you, and I always will be," he said to her truthfully and they smiled.

"Thanks," she said in a whisper and they hugged each other tightly, it was completely out of the blue.

It was beautiful, all the tension just fell away from them and they stood holding onto each other. It felt like the hugest release she'd ever had. They had such a deep bond, and it was proven that it was unbreakable, no matter what happened, no matter what was said, no matter what was done.

Brian never wanted to let go, this was a huge release from all the tension, the stress and it was so beautiful, it felt so good; holding her was so right. He dreaded letting go of her, he wanted to freeze frame that moment, to stay like that for as long as possible, if not forever. The deep, undying love he had for her had to have been showing through; his biggest vulnerability.

Morgan felt something from him, she didn't know how to explain it, but it was something she hadn't seen in a long time. She was hoping she wasn't just making it up. She hadn't felt so good in years; she never wanted to let go. Just stand in his arms forever, feel his heart beating and to just feel safe.

Then, that pivotal moment had arisen; Brian knew what he wanted to do, what his heart was telling him to, what his body was yearning for. Just press his lips on hers and never let them part, kiss her as deeply as he had in him; bring back old times.

Morgan's instincts were shot; she wanted to kiss him so badly it was starting to hurt. Her heart was yelling for her to just do it, then her head would intervene and tell her to just let it go, just let him go and walk away.

She pulled away before Brian was going to do something very stupid, he made himself pull away too, he was beginning to silence his mind and just kiss her, just let it all out in the open. He didn't know where it would've taken him, and he wasn't sure if he could've handled it if she didn't feel the same. In some ways he was more than thankful they'd broken apart, because he knew if he'd stayed like that with her he would've done something he could've possibly regretted later on.

Morgan heard her logical side come through and she knew it wasn't a good idea. It would hurt too much to kiss him, because she knew it was more than over, regardless of what she wished for from that night, it was over.

"Was that an amicable split or what?" Brian said trying to lighten the very serious aura in the room.

"Yes I think so," she said as he opened the door.

"Now are you ok, you don't need a hand to get to bed or anything like that?" he asked her and she shook her head.

"I should be fine, thanks," she said as he nodded and she walked very slowly towards her door and managed to steady herself on the doorframe as she went in and Brian watched from his own door as hers shut.

Morgan got back into her bed very carefully and pulled her covers up over herself and settled down into them. She fell back asleep again as the rain still poured on outside. She sighed a sigh of relief as she drifted off.

Brian got back into his bed and felt himself smile, he'd had so much weight lifted off of his shoulders, some was still there, but he needed that relief that he got from her.

He was so overtired and the relief he'd had just made it so easy to fall asleep.

* * *

Morgan's eyes opened up carefully the next morning, her body felt very heavy and she was tired. But, she knew that she had to pull herself together and get through it and go to work. 

She sat up and the room started to spin as the blood rushed to her head. She felt queasy in the stomach from the motion before her eyes and she hung her head in her hands trying to gain some control over herself.

She lay back again and tried to get the queasiness and light headedness out of her system before making another attempt at getting up. Her eyes were pried open by her ringing mobile phone on the bedside table. She flipped it open to see Vincent's number coming up. She started to wonder why he would be calling her.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Ah Mariana, I'm going out of town today on business, so if you would like, well no, I would like you to have the day off, you've been so terrific of late that you deserve to have a day off," Vincent began.

"Oh Vincent, really I could go and sort out some filing or something for you while you're gone, I mean, thankyou so much, but really if there's something you would need done while you're away I'd be more than happy to do it for you," she said trying to get him to let her work so she could plant some extra surveillance in his house.

"Sweet girl I would love you to have a long deserved break. Don't worry about the little things; I'll get my secretary to do it. Now you just enjoy your time off," Vincent laid down very nicely. Sometimes Morgan could see him as a nice guy, he always spoke to her well, treated her with respect, but then she would remind herself of what he did for a living and why she was undercover in the first place.

"Well, I guess I better not fight with you! I hope your trip goes well today, and please let me know if there's anything, anything at all you need done today and I can go straight over and sort it out for you," she said hoping to god he'd think of something, give her some reason to go over.

"Ok, I will. Take care Mariana," he said as he hung up.

She sighed with slight frustration and a bit more relief, she could stay in bed for a while longer, she really didn't feel well enough to try and get up again.

Morgan pulled the covers up and lay facing the door studying the pattern of the wood grains running down it.

Later on that morning she had a knock at her door, she called out and they let themselves in.

"Hey, how come you not up and running to Deluka's?" Rome asked her taking a seat on the side of her bed, spraying a few crumbs on her covers from the toast he was devouring.

Morgan sniffed, "Mariana has the day off, she's been terrific apparently and she needs a well deserved break as Vincent's going out of town on business."

"Shit," Rome said and she nodded and turned serious.

"Yeah I know, but it would be too suss if I were to go there today after him giving me the day off, and Rome I don't wanna push it, everything's going well with him, he's letting me in right where I need to be and I'm doing my best to set you and Brian up, so we're gonna have to leave it at that for today," she said and he could see her logic.

"True, still it's a pain in tha ass."

"He say where he was goin'?" Rome asked.

"No, but I booked the private jet for Ft Lauderdale," she said and he nodded.

"Better tell Bilkins, they could get some local surveillance on him there, see if there's anything seedy going on," he said as she nodded and he stood up.

Rome gave her a grin and went to knock fists with her before he walked out.

* * *

"God damn Brian die or something?" Rome commented to Monica as he came back out and she laughed, Brian still hadn't emerged from his room, he was usually the first one up, mostly due to the fact that he could never get any sleep and just got up with the sunrise. 

"Who knows, has Morgan left already?" Monica asked.

"Nah, old boy gave her the day off so she's still in bed, I don't think she too well either," he said, Morgan was very pale and she looked to be very tired.

"Oh ok," Monica answered as she took a sip of orange juice.

* * *

Brian tossed and turned in his sleep he was having a very vivid memory of the last few weeks of living in LA. 

**_Los Angeles – 7 Weeks Before the Heists_**

**Sunday**

Morgan lit up 4 candles in their room and turned all the lights off in the house, she heard his car pull up outside and she turned on the bathroom light and checked herself over in the mirror one last time and quickly turned it off before she went over to the door and heard the key turn.

Brian opened up the door and took the key out of the lock before she grabbed the collar of his shirt and yanked him inside and he smiled at her and started to kiss her passionately before he kicked the door shut and she started unbuttoning the shirt he was wearing as he slipped off the satin halter neck top she was wearing as they walked connected by their lips into their room.

"How was your day?" she asked in a breathless whisper as he proceeded to kiss her neck.

"Just got a hell of a lot better," he kissed her neck and over her shoulders.

* * *

She let out a moan and gripped onto the sheets and let her fingers sink into his back as they came close to their climax. His breathing was heavy and deep as he kissed her neck and completely lost himself at the height of passion. 

Morgan opened her eyes a couple of hours later as she felt him tracing swirls up her arm with his fingertips. She moved around to face him and he wrapped his arms around her again and kissed her softly on the lips and moved his hands down her naked back and over her behind and all the way back up again as she ran her fingers through his hair and moved her leg up over his and he moved her on her back and he propped himself up over her.

They spent the rest of the night making love and talking and pashing and touching; just being in love.

Brian fell asleep close to dawn holding a sleeping Morgan in his arms.

* * *

His case was starting the next day, he didn't have to go to she station until 3 that afternoon and he and Morgan had plans to spend the morning at home alone together. 

Morgan woke up around 10 am and watched him sleeping peacefully still holding onto her. She smiled and gently moved his arms from being around her so she could get up without waking him up.

She tiptoed into the shower, letting the hot water wash over her. The curtain opened up and Brian grabbed her around the waist from behind and kissed her neck. She laughed and turned around.

"Excuse me, do I know you?" she asked playfully as he shrugged and kissed her.

"I don't know, but from last night it seemed you knew me pretty well," he answered her with a boyish goofy grin and she laughed.

Morgan went to wash the soap off of her body under the jet of water while Brian washed his face and his hair and she moved out of the way so he could rinse himself off. He pulled her close and put his lips over hers while they both stood under the stream of warm water.

"I love you so much Mor," he told her as she leant on the wall of the shower and they stood, their foreheads touching.

"I love you too Bri," she told him back as she kissed him.

He kissed her back and they made love under the water.

"What's gotten into you?" she asked grinning as he wrapped a towel around himself and he pulled her over by the waist and she put her arms up around his neck.

"What? I thought we were trying for a new record," he said jokingly and she laughed.

"I think we're still 1 off from that," she said and he grinned and picked her up.

"That can be fixed."

* * *

"Do you want to start a family as much as I do after you finish this job?" Morgan asked him as they sat in each other's arms on their couch after having a very late breakfast and watching a movie.

Brian grinned, "yeah I do," he said in a light tone flowing out his sincerity.

She smiled and he laughed, "plus mom's asked me a couple of times why it's taking us so long to make her a grandmother."

Morgan burst out laughing, "yeah she's asked me a couple of times too."

He smiled and she smirked and he pulled her back closer to him and they sat with their legs entwined in each other's.

"God I'm going to miss you so much," Morgan said out of the blue and Brian kissed her cheek and then her lips.

"Yeah, I'm going to miss you like crazy; but hey, we're still gonna get to see each other," he said and she laughed.

"Oh yeah, that's right, every 2nd week right, for 4 nights a week wasn't it?"

Brian burst out laughing and she smiled at him, "yeah that sounds about right, now you've said it out loud I don't think I could go that long without seeing you; I'll just ring up Tanner and tell him to tell his man in the FBI I'm pulling out unless you can come with me."

"Oh yeah sure you will, I don't think I'm FBI material really, that's more your area, and I know it's only because of the fact you wouldn't have to answer anymore calls from distressed old ladies whose kittens that are stuck up trees," Morgan said with a smirk at him and he laughed.

"Yeah well they should just ring the god damn fire department in the first place," he said as he put his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes.

He didn't want to have to leave her; he just wanted to stay there with her like that forever. He knew that they were lucky, Tanner had given her the day off and had told Brian he didn't need to be in at the station until 3pm and he let him off of night shift at 4pm so that he could go home and he and Morgan could spend some time together before the case.

They got a fair bit of leeway with Tanner, he was a good friend of both of them, he'd helped Morgan out through a few tough times and he'd given Brian some of the best advice and guidance he'd ever had, Tanner was like a father to him, more than his stepfather ever was or could be.

His stepfather wasn't the kind to be very encouraging or to say he was proud of Brian and his younger brother Jake. He would just nod along with little to no interest whatsoever or just flat out tune out if Jake would try and tell him something good that he'd done, or Brian would tell him about something to do with his job.

Brian's mother often told them that it was just 'him', that he was so proud of them, but he just didn't know how to tell them. Jake believed her when she said that, Brian just couldn't warm himself up to the idea, even though Morgan tried to get it through to him that what his mother was saying was probably very right, that his stepfather just wasn't the overly affectionate type.

But what she hadn't seen and what Brian had seen was how he was with his two daughters from his first marriage, he told them how happy he was and how proud he was of them when theyhad donesomething noteworthy, and even when they hadn't. Brian just thought that it had something to do with he and Jake not being his biologicalsons that he just held them at arms-length, like he resented them for some unknown reason.

Morgan always tried to help out Brian's mum by talking to Brian sometimes about his real dad and about his stepfather if he wanted to. Brian knew she was trying to help out his mum and he loved her even more so for that, she did help him, she helped him a lot, but he just thought that with his stepfather she was off the mark with some things, with others she opened his eyes up, but with that one thing he just had a gut feeling.

* * *

Brian picked up the bag sitting by the door as he and Morgan both breathed out and he pulled her into his arms and she held onto him tightly and put her head on his shoulder as he rested his head on hers.

"I love you more than anything, just remember that, you're the most important person in my life," he said and she felt some annoying tears coming on, her eyes were starting to water.

"I love you too, please be safe. I think I need you too much to be without you, god Brian I love you so damn much!" she said and he laughed and she sniffed.

They held onto each other and eventually they knew they were going to have to separate. He slowly started kissing her and she kissed him back and he took her cheek in his hand deepened it further and nearly sent her into a weak mess.

They pulled apart and rested their foreheads together with a collective sigh.

"You better hit it before Tanner and Bilkins kick your ass," she said and he laughed and she smiled.

"Yeah, I guess so huh, Morgan, if there's anything you need, you know the number of my new phone, plus, well I think I'll just need you to call! I can't be without you for 2 weeks, I love you way too much for that."

She smiled and felt a tear start sliding down her cheek and he wiped it away for her and kissed her forehead and then her lips.

"And I promised myself 70 times every hour for the past 48 that I wouldn't do that," she confessed out loud and he smirked and shook his head and pulled her back into his arms again.

"Ok, you really have to go, cos you're gonna be off the job already before you start!" she said and they pulled apart and he laughed.

"Yeah well, then I wouldn't have to leave you, so it's all good!"

"Oh piss off! My boyfriend's coming over soon!" she joked around and he pretended to look shocked and they laughed.

"Oh right, we better not keep him waiting!"

"Exactly!" she smiled and they just looked at each other in a brief silence.

"Morgan, please stay safe. I love you so much, god I'm gonna miss you so much," he said and she smiled.

"I love you too, please Bri, don't get hurt, please don't get hurt. I need you, I love you so much," she said getting very choked up and he pulled her in and she wrapped her arms around him tightly and buried her face into his chest.

She really didn't want him to leave, she knew it meant so much to get that detective badge, she knew it was his dream and she wanted it for him just as much as he did for himself; but she didn't want him to leave. Morgan knew that they were very lucky for the fact that Tanner and Bilkins allowed them to have time together while he was under, even if it was just 4 nights of the week every 2 weeks or so, but they had been living together for the past 3 years and she was just so used to having him with her and she loved him so much she felt that it was going to be hard having to be apart so much with so little contact.

"I love you, I'll see you in a couple of weeks, I'm going to miss you so much," he said kissing her and she kissed him back and nodded.

"I love you too, I'll miss you just as much if not more! Brian, promise me you'll stay safe," she said looking at him with all seriousness.

"Ok, I give you my word." He said and she feigned a small smile and he kissed her passionately before they broke apart and both gave each other feeble smiles as he opened up the door and he slung his bag over his shoulder as they walked down their path and he had his arm around her waist and she had hers around his.

"Well, I guess, have fun? I mean, well is that the right word to use?"

He laughed, "yeah it'll do! So, well, you have fun too then! But don't have too many boyfriend's of yours around, I guess I'm the jealous type."

Morgan laughed, "oh yeah you know you're the only one I want."

That was met by a smile and they gave each other one last hug.

"I love you," she said into his lips and he kissed her and returned her words.

They pulled apart and he took her hand and gave it a squeeze as they looked into each other's eyes as he opened up the car door and she walked up towards the house.

They decided to just go their separate ways before they would cave in and Brian would become even later than he was.

He drove off and gripped his hands on the steering wheel; there was so much ahead of him at that moment that it was hard to fathom. He was starting a case which could change his life forever, give him that badge he'd been longing for ever since joining the force, it'd give him and Morgan so much more together, they could afford to get a bigger house, they could go away more, they hadn't been on an un-work-related get away for a while and they missed it. Because, if Brian got time off, then usually it always seemed Morgan was just starting work again, or she was still at work and vice versa.

They planned to start a family when he finished the case, to have children of their own and to finally do what they'd been talking about for a long time. What Morgan didn't know about was that Brian had bought a ring for her, he was going to ask her to marry him the night he finished the case. He was going to go on bent knee for her, do everything right, make sure that she knew just how serious he was; see how much he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

Morgan slowly walked back up the path trying her best not to look back. Trying her best to just put one foot in front of the other and keep it that way. She got to the door and pushed it open and closed it behind her as she sighed and leant against it looking down the hall.

She closed her eyes and listened to her breathing as she tried her hardest not to cry.

Opening them again she walked down the hall and into the kitchen, it was clean, they'd done the dishes and cleared everything else up together. She needed something to do before she went insane and just let the tears out.

Morgan moved into their room and was almost met by great relief to see that the bed wasn't made, their clothes from the night before were scattered haphazardly around the floor and on the furniture, that there were towels lying on the floor at the bedroom door from their shower that morning.

She needed to keep busy for a little while to take her mind off things, to try and look at the positive that came with him leaving, they were going to start their own family, something they had both wanted for a long time, they were going to be able to live a bit freer with their money because she was going up a rank and Brian was going up quite a few to detective after the case, they'd been checking out some better real estate in a better area, a bigger house, nicer neighbourhood. Even though they had a pretty good set of neighbours and their house wasn't overly small or shabby, it was still pretty small and there was only one bedroom and one half office/half guest room so there was no way they could have children there.

She picked up her top that had somehow ended up thrown onto the hall table, then she picked up the two towels from that morning, then she found his shirt near the wardrobe and found his socks near his shoes at the foot of their bed. She found all their clothes and threw them in with the towels and some other dirty clothes and headed into the laundry.

She separated the colours, it was a habit of hers, she smiled to herself remembering once when her and Brian had been living together for a year and he'd done the washing for her while she was at work because he was on his annual leave and he wanted to help her out. He'd put a red t-shirt of his without knowing into the machine with some of Morgan's good white work shirts, he got a nasty surprise a couple of hours later when he pulled out their stuff and went to put it into the dryer, all the white shirts of hers that he'd put in were now a very nice pink, and his white shirts that were in there too had gone very much pink, and the other colours in there all had a slight tinge about them.

He held up Morgan's best work shirt that used to be a very crisp white, to find that it was now a very nice pastel pink. He was mortified, he filled up the kitchen sink with boiling hot water and put detergent in there and put her shirt in and tried to get the pink dye out of it as much as he could, he knew it was her favourite and he felt so bad about what had happened. He rang it out and saw that it was still pink as the door opened up and he heard keys drop on the hall table and heard her slip off her heels and kick them over by the door.

"Hey, I'm home," she called out to him and he bit his lip praying she wasn't going to come in and see him trying to salvage her shirt.

He didn't answer and she went into the bedroom and threw her bag on the floor by the wardrobe and pulled the tie out of her hair and scrunched it up and rolled her neck around to loosen up.

"Brian? Dude I don't feel like playing hide and seek with you right now, where are you?" she said calling out to him and looking in the lounge room and seeing a million and one movies laying about and a big bottle of coke.

He heard the tone of her voice and it sounded like she was tired, "shoot," he hissed holding up her shirt and cursing.

She came into the kitchen and saw him standing at the sink, holding up her favourite 'white' shirt and cursing, she saw that it'd turned a shade of pink and she bit her lip and walked up beside him.

"Do the washing?" she asked and he nodded slowly and put the shirt down back into the water.

"M, I'm so sorry, one of my shirts must've been red, I'm so sorry, listen, tell me where you got it and I'll go out and get you a new one tomorrow," he immediately started apologising and she burst out laughing and shook her head.

"It's ok! It's just a shirt! It's my favourite one… But it's really just a shirt!" she said trying to make him feel better, because she could see how terrible he was feeling.

"I know it's your favourite, that's why I feel so bad, I'm so sorry!" he said and she laughed.

"Hey, baby, pink is the new white hadn't you heard?" she said lightening the mood and he shook his head and laughed.

"Maybe for you, but I don't think pink's my colour," he said and she smiled and pulled her shirt out of the sink and let the water out as she rung the rest of the water and detergent out of it.

* * *

She laughed as she remembered that while she was getting the washing detergent out of the small cupboard above the washer and dryer and poured a scoop of the apple scented white powder over the clothes in the washing machine. She turned it on and shut the lid and put the basket onto the dryer and pulled out some new sheets and 2 new pillowcases from the linen cupboard because she needed more to do.

She bundled them up and went back into their room and put the clean linen on a chair over in the corner and opened up the natural coloured curtains that were pulled across the 2 windows in their room to let some light in. She picked up the pillows and pulled off the cases and put the new clean ones on and threw the dirty ones over by the door.

She sat their pillows on top of each other beside the clean sheets on the chair. Morgan then pulled off the quilt and let it lay on the floor at the foot of the bed while she stripped back the sheets and threw them over with the dirty pillowcases in the doorway. She replaced the sheets and put their pillows back on the bed and then pulled up the quilt and made the bed up properly.

Morgan picked up the pile of dirty bed linen in her arms and padded out into the laundry and placed it into the laundry basket sitting a top of the dryer and then she walked back out and surveyed the house, it was clean, there was nothing that needed to be done.

She quietly walked back into the bedroom and sat on the bed, she looked around and found herself in the silence of the empty house, there was no Brian with his loud rock music sitting with Jason in the lounge looking over car magazines or them out in the driveway both covered in grease stuffing around with their cars, there was no Layne or Bly around to make Morgan laugh, Layne and Bly were her best friends, Jason, Brian's best friend, spent a fair bit of time trying to get Bly to go out with him, he had a huge thing for her, but she didn't really know what she wanted to do with him.

Layne used to say she didn't think Bly would go out with Jason because she thought he was a bit too much for her, Morgan had had some deep and meaningfuls with Jason about Bly, she knew that he really had it in for her, but he thought he was getting led on and then chewed up sometimes, because she would pay attention to him and really seem like she was digging him too, then she would pull right back.

Layne also used to say that Morgan and Brian had the textbook romance happening something terrible. That cracked up Morgan and Brian, because they didn't see at all where she was coming from, they had just as many struggles as anyone else, they still had disagreements on many things, and they weren't by their standards really the 'textbook, picture perfect couple' at all.

* * *

Brian woke from his sleep, he felt different, he didn't feel so drained, he felt strange however. Still trying to get it through whether the night before was just a dream or it was reality.

Even though he tried to not look at her like _that _at the time it was hard, her body was still just as amazing and beautiful as last time he'd seen it, he felt bad for thinking like that because he was just trying to help her and she was sick.

When they hugged it was so out of the blue, it felt so right, but it felt wrong all the same, like he shouldn't have even laid a finger on her after everything that had happened. He felt something so strong for her when they were holding onto each other, he was so afraid at the time; terrified the love he had for her would show. But, what he had said he meant, he was still looking out for her, he always had been, even if they did argue on a regular basis, he would still be looking out for her.

"God why does this have to be so damn hard?" he said out loud looking up at the ceiling.

"If we were so textbook why aren't we back where we left off?" his thoughts going out of his mouth, he needed to hear it aloud for some reason, just walk himself through things.

He'd had a few good talks with Tanner, he was one person who could really help, out of anyone that was there he was the one who knew what he was talking about, he'd known Brian in a different way to everyone else, Rome knew him well, but there was a lot Rome didn't know, Rome didn't know about Morgan, Rome didn't know about their plans, Rome didn't really know about the case, Rome didn't know about Dom, Rome didn't know about the fact that Brian was almost convinced that he was depressed.

It scared hell out of him, because he'd never imagined seeing himself in that way, depression just wasn't something he'd seen ahead for himself. But, he honestly thought that was what was happening to him, everyday the will to get out of bed was nil, he had to force himself to get up in the mornings, otherwise he'd just lay there and drink until he was paralytic so he didn't have to be in his head anymore.

Brian regretted so much, he regretted letting Morgan leave, he regretted hurting her so much, he regretted letting his judgement become clouded by the team, he regretted letting himself go along with Mia, he regretted everything about that. He needed to be free from it, he had to be free from it, it was all starting to get way too much for him to handle, at one of the lowest points he'd thought about suicide, very very briefly, but the thought had still crossed him.

Tanner tried his best, he made some difference, but it wasn't the difference he needed. Tanner couldn't make her come back. Brian wished he could, but he'd well and truly learnt that she was never going to come back.

He accepted it, that was when he really started to hit rock bottom, when he realised it was really over.

When he'd fled from LA he still had some hope that he'd find her again, that they could just talk about it, sort everything out and it would all be amazing like it used to be.

* * *

**_Miami – May 2003_**

Morgan walked down the busy street talking with Sandra quite animatedly about their plans to go out clubbing on the next night.

It was starting to get dark and she knew that she had to get over to the Customs building to tidy up paperwork from a previous minor case the FBI had done with them that she was involved in, and also she just wanted to go and see how Brad was going, he was a nice guy to her, she didn't know whether he was expecting more from her, she was hoping he wasn't, because she'd had so many flings and very short relationships over the past 2 years she'd had enough and she wanted to relax and stay single for as long as possible.

She'd given up hope of ever seeing Brian again, she didn't even know why there was hope. She could never and would never forgive him for what he'd done to her, even though at times she wished she knew where he was and that she could just see him, that they'd work it all out, go back to the way things were. Then she would wake up and laugh at herself for being so dumb.

Later that night Morgan was sitting at Dunn's desk and they were talking and laughing at some of the corniest jokes they both had. He always treated her so well, she was so fascinating to him, the way she could hold a conversation was intriguing.

Markham came in, broke up their conversation and dragged Dunn away so they could go and work on their case. The 'top secret case that she wasn't allowed to find out about,' apparently, according to Markham. Even though she knew a lot of what they were doing because Markham seemed to have forgotten that Bilkins was her superior and also they worked on many cases together and they would just sit down and talk sometimes.

Morgan sat at a computer and pulled out 5 files from her deep brown satchel briefcase and started to enter details into the system.

It was very late and she was ploughing through the work reasonably well, she heard some chatter coming from the hall, something big had to have been happening, or had happened she thought to herself as she quickly saved her work and got up and walked over to Sandra her best friend and Harleigh another agent.

"What's going on?" she asked as they were both trying to get a closer look down the hall.

"They finally got that guy," Harleigh said in a hushed tone.

"What guy?" Morgan asked as she too was now trying to see what was going on.

"That one they've been looking for, to go on the Verone case," Sandra finished off and Morgan just nodded along.

"Does 'that guy' have a name?" Morgan inquired.

"Isn't it Brian something Harleigh?"

"Something like that Sandra."

Morgan felt pinned to the ground, 'it couldn't, no, no it's not. There's a million guys called Brian, it's not him. I mean, there's 3 guys named Brian in my department, so there's no reason why this one's him.' She thought to herself, her stomach was in knots and she felt like the blood had drained out of her face.

"Morgan? Are you feeling all right? You look so pale," Harleigh asked as she looked at the girl, she was starting to resemble a snowman she'd turned that white.

"I'm fine," she said trying to gain some composure.

Brian was pushed into an interrogation room, his mind was going a million miles a minute and his heart was pounding so loud in his ears he could hardly hear the door open and see 2 agents walk in.

"We know you're Brian O'Conner, formerly of the LAPD," the eldest agent said as Brian's stomach was twisting into very tight knots.

"You got the wrong guy," he found himself saying back.

Morgan had to walk away, sit down and think. She let herself think in the worst-case scenario, that it was actually her Brian, why would he need to be brought in on the Verone case? Why wouldn't they just arrest him? She wanted to know most of all why this was happening, why when her life was finally starting to settle down again was this being sprung on her?

She got up and walked over to the computer she was using and sat down as she finished off some of the last little things and shut it down, she started packing away her files into her briefcase as she stood at the desk.

She heard people entering the room as she closed up the clasps on her briefcase and swung the strap over her shoulder as she picked up the lip balm she had sitting beside the monitor. She swiped it over her lips and put it into the pocket of her low, fitting black dress pants. She had on a pair of plain black pumps and the white scoop neck tank top she was wearing, it was slightly short and showed off her tanned, flat tummy. She had a small silver chain around her neck and a matching bracelet around her right wrist and her silver watch and a pair of small silver hoop earrings on.

Morgan saw Dunn enter first, she smiled at him and he smiled back, "thanks a lot for the jokes Brad," she smiled and he laughed.

"Not a problem, thankyou too," he said and she smiled.

Markham came next as she went to move out of the door, he gave her a snide glare and she returned it.

Bilkins saw what was going on and laughed, "Forrester," he said with a warning tone.

Markham disappeared into the room she'd came from and Morgan and Bilkins laughed.

"Now Morgan," he started knowing he didn't have to finish.

"Oh please! He started that one!"

He laughed and patted her on the back as she smiled and they kept on walking in their different directions.

She looked down for a moment and smiled to herself as she pushed some of her hair back off her face. Sandra had convinced her to get it straightened and she loved how easy to manage it was.

Brian was holed up at the door of the room waiting for an officer to take off the handcuffs from his wrists. He was looking at the wall ahead and the ground until his wrists were free, he moved his arms back in front of him and started to rub his wrists, they were slightly red where the cuffs had been.

He looked up just as she had and they saw each other.

Her eyes went like a deer in headlights as her breathing got sharp and her heart was beating so much faster than it was before. He felt so much surprise, shock, apprehension, everything when he laid eyes on her again. She was just as beautiful as always, but he couldn't believe he was seeing her, there, then. It was sickeningly surreal.

They stood in their places and didn't take their eyes off each other. Morgan felt her eyes almost go into a glare, she looked away quickly and then back at him, he was still staring at her with his brow furrowed slightly. He didn't know what to make of it, he felt himself want to know why she was there, did she have something to do with him being caught? He saw the glare he was starting to receive.

She took off walking at a very fast pace past him and down the hall, he looked after her as he was ushered along by the officer that had removed his cuffs for him. He looked back once more as she kept walking. She looked over her shoulder before she disappeared around a corner. He could still hear the clicks coming from her heels on the floor.

Morgan was so screwed up; she'd had a rush of so many emotions in such a short amount of time.

She was angry, upset, happy, curious, tense, scared, she'd just about felt every emotion in the book within a minute.

She jogged out to her car and hurriedly got in and sunk back in the seat gripping the steering wheel staring straight ahead.

* * *

He found himself walking towards the bathroom, mind still trying to process the events of the past 24 hours.

Brian let the water wake him up. He tried to silence his thoughts as much as possible as to be able to operate normally.

He couldn't help but wonder if now the hostilities would end, whether they could at least get along. Brian was amazed she didn't try and fight him, he could tell at times there she really became conflicted, like she wanted to push him away, but she'd realise then that she needed his help.

Morgan lay back thinking about Brian; wondering if he had any feeling for her anymore. She was confused at the time, she was scared and she felt so strange, she couldn't really grasp things too well at the time.

When they hugged, that caught her so off guard, but it felt so _right_ that it actually became quite frightening to her. It felt just like old times, it almost led her to forget about the past 3 years they'd been apart. Just like they were picking up where they'd left off.

She almost felt sick within herself from all the confusion. She hated it. She hated him for doing it to her, again, and again. She didn't want to go back to the constant tension and the arguments, but she didn't know how to react anymore.

Brian didn't seem to realise just how much he'd messed her around, that was half the reason she felt so much anger, he didn't seem to think when he was doing what he was doing that it may affect her in some way. He didn't seem to think about the fact that Morgan might be effected by him using Mia as his ticket into the team back in LA, she was so angry, because he seemed to forget about her, them, their relationship while he was flirting with some pretty girl.

Sometimes she did actually believe him, that he didn't physically _cheat_ on her. But the way she saw it he may as well have, he may not have had sex with Mia before he and Morgan broke up, but they may as well have in Morgan's eyes. In the end, she wouldn't let him touch her, because just thinking about the possibility of him having cheated on her nearly made her physically ill.

It hurt too much to try and convince herself that what he was saying was true, because she had such a different perception on the matter from knowledge she'd acquired without him even knowing.

In the end she knew what she had to do, just get out and leave. At the time she didn't know for how long, whether it was just for a couple of weeks – months, minutes, she didn't know. He'd tried to ring her up so many times after she'd left that night, she would just let her phone ring out or cut him off. She'd just delete the voicemail he left, in the beginning she would read the text messages, but towards the end they all started to sound the same, she just deleted them, deleted him as best she could.

She figured that was when she started to just hate everything, hate him, hate them, hate the 4 years that went down the drain, hate the plans they had, hate the life they led, hate the house they had bought together, hate seeing the man she had once loved in the newspaper displayed like a common criminal, she hated turning on her television and seeing his face, the newsreader asking anyone who'd seen him to ring a special number, not to worry they'd stay anonymous, that would really piss her off. 'Stay anonymous,' like it was some big shame, she would even let herself become angry about the way that they would talk about him, he was the love of her life, she knew him so much better, she knew that he didn't deserve to be treated like a heartless headline on the evening news, and then it would get on her nerves for even caring. She was filled with so much hate by the end of a year she couldn't even hear his name mentioned without clenching her fist.

That was when she knew she had to leave. She'd sold the house; in one second of insanity she'd put his share of it into his bank account, even though she knew if he were smart he wouldn't access it. She didn't have a car anymore, due to the fact when he'd decided to split town he'd taken her car instead, which was another thing that pissed her off, he'd actually had the audacity to take her car.

* * *

Morgan lay in bed remembering all of that, she'd almost forgotten about everything; everything that led her to feel the way she did, and still was in some ways for all that time.

"Prick," she stunned herself saying it out loud.


	8. Going Around Again

_Hey all, back again. Sorry this has taken so long again:S It's just hard sometimes to be able to sit down and write. I haven't really been allowing myself much writing time in between school and just usual tiredness, horse sales and the like. When I have the time I really don't feel up to it... But, here it is, chapter 8, hopefully chapter 9 will be up a lot sooner than the last two:D Take care all, and I hope you enjoy and REVIEW review REVIEW!_

**_Disclaimer - all the usual I own nothing but original characters who-ha and the like... Also, the bold and italic song snippet is from The Whitlams - Don't Believe Anymore_**

* * *

Brian woke up and reached over into the bedside table's drawer and pulled out a small dark blue box, he opened it up carefully; the white gold 2-carat diamond engagement ring he'd bought for Morgan was in it. He took it out and studied it carefully, he was never going to get the chance to give it to her like he had planned, he was never going to be with her again.

He'd taken the ring with him for safe keeping of sorts, he didn't really want to leave anything valuable that could be taken out easily in his apartment, he was sure nothing would happen with Tej and Jimmy keeping an eye on the place, but the cop in him didn't really want to trust just that alone.

He put it back into its box and back into the drawer as he let out a deep sigh of regret.

They hadn't spoken since the incident 2 days ago, she was at work with Vincent, and he was again still in bed after another restless night. He didn't know whether this was always related to her, or maybe it was just him.

* * *

Morgan really felt like she was starting to get on top of things again, she'd really fallen off the wagon for a long time, but she was starting to make things go her way again, she was disgusted at herself for such a long time, being so sappy and trading in for the whole loved up bullshit she'd always been so set against. She was becoming Morgana Isabelle Forrester again, she was in charge now, not some stupid memory of her and Brian, they were over, and she knew she had to move on, she wasn't there, but she knew she had to do it, and it was only a matter of time. 

She walked down the lavish opulent halls of the 'Deluka Compound' and smiled to herself, she was in charge, he wasn't ruling her thoughts anymore, she was going to bring down Deluka, it was on her, she knew she could do it. It was a big break through of girl power for her, she felt like her feet were about to drift from the floor, there was no weight anymore, it was gone, she had the most uplifting feeling sweep over her, it empowered her even more.

* * *

Rome had noticed the sudden shut down with Brian and Morgan, they seemed to avoid each other, neither would say anything at all; there was nothing between them at all. 

Rome sat down in a chair and almost hated the intense silence around him, Monica was reading, Brian was out of sight and Morgan was with Deluka.

Morgan came through the door and smirked, she'd picked up a hell of a lot more information for the operation Deluka was planning, she knew it would be detrimental for the case and Bilkins and Markham needed to know immediately.

"Rome, come with me to the place, I've got plenty to say," Morgan smiled as Rome laughed.

"Aiight baby girl lets go."

Rome put on his socks and shoes and Morgan waited for him by the door, they left as Brian came back out from the bathroom looking very pale and sickly.

Monica eyed him up; he really looked awful, like he'd been throwing up.

"Hey Brian, are you ok?" she asked as he sat down with his throbbing head in his hands.

"Yeah I'm fine," he said his voice very raspy.

Rome and Morgan got onto the small ferry and sat down together.

"I have it all figured out," he started and she looked at him.

"Have what figured out?" she asked curious as to what he was talking about.

"You and Brian, it's simple," he continued and she gulped.

"What's simple?"

"You and Brian, it's always the same with him, you two were together weren't you," Rome started and Morgan tried to contain the very sick feeling that'd swept over her, how he could've ever found out was baffling her, she needed to make up a story on the spot.

She laughed, "No way! Where would you get that from?"

"Well, you and home boy were both in LA, and he's always getting himself into all kindsa shit over female, so I figured y'all mighta been together."

She laughed, "no, if you really want to know, yeah I know him from LA, we used to work together, nothing ever happened. I think he's just someone who I genuinely can't stand. I couldn't stand what he did on the case in LA, I know what they were offering him after that case, and that dickhead stuffed it all up because he stupidly let himself become too involved, and then, after all that he ends up getting his job back, that's what annoys me, that he thinks he can go around doing whatever the hell he wants without consequences, I mean, if that were you or I, do you think that would happen?" she said and Rome nodded along, what she said was very plausible, his crazy theory was just that 'crazy'.

"Nah, so that finally explains it huh. Thank god for that, one of life's great mysteries has been solved," Rome chuckled and Morgan laughed and rubbed his head.

She breathed out a sigh of relief while he wasn't watching, she'd completely pulled that out of her ass, but in part it was true, she hated how he could get back in like that consequence free, it pissed her off, because she knew this case was her last straw, if she blew it she could possibly be without a job, she was relying on this case to go off without a hitch, she needed it to.

* * *

Brian felt his stomach lurch as he got up again and jogged back into the bathroom and threw up violently. 

Monica got up after him and walked to the bathroom door and knocked on it.

"Brian, you need to go to a doctor," she said as he shook his head and muttered a 'no'.

Eventually she'd finally gotten him to come with her to the doctor.

He got in and she waited in the empty waiting room, the seats were a cane with dark blue cushions, the walls stark white, covered in numerous prints of tropical flowers and black and white photographs of the locality.

Brian went in and sat down, the doctor checked him over.

"I really can only say this as a hunch, but I think you may be depressed," the doctor said sitting back and Brian looked at him strangely.

"How's that?"

"Well, personally I've only ever come across cases of depression a couple of times before, but you're following along the lines. You say about restless nights, today with the vomiting, just feeling tired and run down all the time, not wanting to go out, to me it just seems so.

I can prescribe you anti depressants, I'd like you to try them for a month and just see if you feel an improvement at all. For the time being with this stomach of yours all I can advise is that you refrain from eating anything major that could be likely to upset you, such as dairy, desserts, and just to take it easy," the doctor explained.

Brian sat in silence regarding the words being thrown around, 'depression', 'anti depressants', this wasn't him, but the doctor was just confirming everything that'd crossed his mind over the past months.

"Um, those anti depressants, what sort of effect do they have?" Brian asked quietly, coming into himself more.

* * *

Morgan and Rome had had a good trip and were on the boat back over.

* * *

Brian and Monica had gotten home moments before Morgan and Rome walked through the door with take away for dinner. 

Brian went into his room and sat on his bed pulling out the orange bottle of pills from the brown paper bag he'd been carrying them in since they'd left the doctors surgery.

He studied the bottle turning it slowly and reading the label carefully. He took off the white cap and shook 2 of the small yellow pills into the palm of his hand and swallowed them down with the water beside his bed.

* * *

Morgan got her bowl of Chinese and curled up on the couch watching Bridget Jones' Diary with Monica as Rome was eating at the table when Brian wandered out and went into the kitchen and put two pieces of toast into the toaster. 

Morgan let her eyes very inconspicuously wander over him as he came out, he looked awful, his skin was like snow it was so white and pale, his hair was all messed up, his eyes had very definite bags underneath them, he was practically devoid of any expression at all.

"You aiight bro?" Rome asked as Brian just looked at him plainly and shrugged and waited for his toast to pop.

"Hey, you never said what the doctor told you," Monica mentioned as Brian looked at her and rubbed his eyes.

"Mmm, just said it's just a mild case of the flu, gave me some stuff to take."

Brian told them all something that couldn't possibly by further from the truth.

Morgan looked at him and knew immediately he was lying. Everything about his body language was just yelling it out to her, that wasn't what the doctor had said to him at all.

"You give it to me I kick yo punk ass bruh," Rome threatened light heartedly.

Brian smirked as he pulled the toast out of the toaster and put it onto a plate without anything on it.

* * *

The next day Brian woke up feeling different, he'd had a much better sleep, his stomach was back to normal, he couldn't say that he was ready to leap out of bed, but the anti-depressants had made a difference. 

He took the orange pill bottle out of the drawer in the bedside table and took two more.

* * *

Morgan cuddled her pillow to her in her sleep, her thick wavy chocolate coloured hair fanned out. She had fallen asleep the night before feeling worried about Brian, she couldn't explain why, but she knew there was something seriously wrong with him. He just didn't even seem like the old Brian she used to know, he was very different. They had nothing to do with each other anymore, but she knew that she'd always care about him a lot no matter what happened. 

Morgan got out of bed in the morning and walked out into the kitchen finding Brian in there already making himself scrambled eggs. She moved over to the fridge and pulled out the bottle of orange juice and got a glass. She put two pieces of toast into the toaster and took her orange juice out onto the veranda and watched the ocean glittering in the morning sun. She heard the toast pop through the open window so she got up and went and took them out and buttered them and put spread on them and took them out onto the veranda with her.

* * *

_**Los Angeles – 2001 4 weeks before the heists**_

Morgan got into her car that morning and smiled, she knew once she'd finished her shift she'd be able to see Brian, he was able to come home for 4 nights every 2 weeks and it was time again.

She was sitting around in the middle of the day not doing much, she decided just to go and look up the files from the people Brian was investigating, she hadn't looked at any of the files before that, she had seen them around the house, but she never really cared to look at them.

She took the files back to her desk after checking them out and sat down and slid on her reading glasses.

Morgan's eyes travelled over the words and she looked through the pictures.

'Mia Rielee Toretto' she read over a sheet and looked at the picture of a very pretty girl attached to the sheet with a silver paper clip.

Morgan had unknowingly opened the floodgates for extreme curiosity.

* * *

'_**I don't know where to begin, don't wanna hear it again, I don't believe anymore. And this is all I know, I know I've heard it before, I don't believe anymore, I don't believe anymore.' **_

Brian listened to the music playing a couple of rooms away from his own and it made him start to think again. He got up and knew he had to take his mind off her; he wasn't going to be able to help himself if he didn't change anything.

He knew it wasn't going to be easy, he was getting over the love of his life, the woman he'd wanted to marry and have a family with, the one he had planned on spending the rest of his life with. But he knew after 3 years that he really needed to try and move on.

* * *

Monica didn't know what was up with Brian, but he seemed so down in the dumps and unlike the one she'd known before. He'd gone very quiet and just stayed alone most of the time, when he did come out he would barely say anything, just go out onto the veranda or disappear down on the beach.

* * *

Brian looked at himself in the mirror, the pale skin, black bags under his eyes, almost waxy like face, he was so far from himself that he wasn't even sure he remembered what it was like to be himself, he knew this was it, he needed to really make a change. 

He opened up the door and took a step out of the doorway, this was it, and there was no going back.

Brian was going to do this right, no going out and having one night stands, no getting into relationships that were doomed from the start because he was still hung up on the one that got away, this was it. He was making a fresh start.

"Hey man how are ya?" Rome asked noticing Brian coming into the lounge room.

"Damn good man, damn good. How bout you?" he replied strongly with a smirk.

"Good man, good."

Rome was surprised to see him so upbeat, he was glad to see him so upbeat, but it had taken him by surprise non the less.

Brian ended up going outside and just walking down the beach and taking in this beautiful island he'd been living on, he'd never really paid much attention to just how gorgeous it was.

"Brian's really upbeat today," Monica commented and Rome replied with a nod.

"Good to see, don't know what was wrong, ain't never seen home boy like that before, was really worrying about him," Rome added on and Monica nodded.

Rome went out that night and found himself spending the time out at a bar talking to a girl he'd met.

* * *

Morgan was sitting on the couch cross legged in a pair of baggy black cargo pants and a black FILA crop top with her long hair in two low plaited pig tails that hung over her shoulders and her black rimmed glasses on. 

Rome opened up the door with the girl from the bar alongside him to find Brian enthralled in a car magazine at the table and Morgan sitting on the couch playing a video game.

"Hey Romey, oh! Who's your special friend here?" Morgan grinned as she saw the pretty Latino girl with him.

"Hey y'all, this is Kia, and Kia, that's Mariana and Brian," Rome said and Kia smiled at both and Morgan got up and went over and shook her hand with a smile.

"Nice to meet you Kia," she said and Kia smiled back.

"Nice to meet you too."

Morgan wore a tiny smirk on her face when she returned to her original place on the couch and Brian glanced at her and back then to focus on his magazine.

Rome showed Kia into the kitchen.

Brian flipped through the pages grinning and occasionally looking over at Rome with the same expression, earning himself more than one death stare from his friend.

Monica was in her room the whole time. She'd been thinking about what Brian had told her about being still in love with a girl from the past. She had to admit that it was getting on her nerves, because he'd show interest, and then he'd completely turn around and show absolutely nothing at all. He was like a hot and cold tap and it was wearing thing on her.

She thought about it; the only man that'd ever been straight with her was Carter Verone, which was very troubling.

Rome knew they had house rules, he knew it wasn't allowed to have civilians in there, but this girl was so different, he just had to see where it was going to go.

He didn't want to use her, he wanted to see how things went, he didn't even really care if they didn't end up having sex that night, he just wanted to spend some time with her, getting to know her better.

Alicia Keys – Karma was playing in the lounge room/dining room on Morgan's mix CD she had in the DVD player. She hummed along as she got up and went over to the table and pulled a chair out and carried it behind the kitchen counter and sat it down. Brian watched her as she went from the table with the chair humming along to the song playing and swaying with the beat of the music as she went into the kitchen and put the chair down, hopping up on top of it and opening up the door to one of the top cupboards and pulling out a jar filled with lollipops.

Morgan riffled through the jar and pulled out a purple grape flavoured lollipop and put it back in and kept going until she pulled out an apple flavoured one and then she replaced the lid and put it back into the cupboard and got off the chair and unwrapped her lollipop. She put it in her mouth and put the chair back and went back over to the couch again.

"Hey," Morgan smiled as Monica came out and smiled back.

Brian looked at the both of them inconspicuously. He put all feelings aside for the both of them; he just looked, looked like he didn't know either of them. He looked over Monica, and then went to Morgan; there was no comparison really to him. Morgan to him was by far the sexiest one there. He was being as unbiased as he could, and he still came to the same conclusion.

'And I screwed it all up,' he said to himself nearly laughing.

Lately he was finding a more humorous spin on everything, he didn't know if it was because of the pills he was on, but it was happening and it helped lighten his mood right up.

'Mmmm, Morgan's definitely better, fantastic in bed, even better at calling me an asshole,' he thought to himself and he laughed under his breath.

"What are you laughing at?" Monica asked and Brian smirked and shook his head.

"Nothing," he replied and Morgan looked over and shook her head and looked away again.

Monica and Brian were talking when Morgan got up and left the room going into her room at around 12 am. She shut the door and took out her hair and unbuttoned her cargoes and got into bed in just her underwear and crop top.

* * *

She woke up at 4am and still heard noise in the hall, she sat up and stretched and sat back resting on her elbows. 

She got up and found herself walking out of her room and into the kitchen. Brian was the only one in there, he was shirtless and in a pair of boxer shorts. He was pouring himself a glass of orange juice and she moved past him and went to the fridge and got the jug of water and got herself a glass and filled it with the cold water. They bumped into each other on putting both the orange juice and water back into the fridge. Brian stood back and let her put away the water; he quickly slipped the bottle of orange juice in afterward. She stood up straight after putting the jug back in and closed the door.

Morgan looked at him and felt all the lust build up inside. He was so hot; he had the broad shoulders, the tan, and the muscles. Beautiful eyes, gorgeous face, her eyes travelled all over him and she didn't want to hide it as soon as she saw his doing the same to her.

Brian looked into her eyes and they found themselves staring at each other standing on opposite sides of the small kitchen.

He walked over to her and she found herself going straight into his arms and getting lost in a hot, passionate kiss.

His big, rough hands moved over her bare stomach and she bit her lip before he kissed her again.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked her huskily and she took a ragged breath.

"God yes," she breathlessly replied taken up in another kiss before Brian picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

They got back to her room and the door slammed behind them, he moved his hands right over her and she found herself dying for more.

* * *

Morgan sat bolt upright when she woke up at 6am. She looked around and definitely didn't see Brian anywhere. She looked down and she was still clothed. It'd just been a dream. It felt so real it still made her wonder. 

She got out of bed and pulled on a pair of light blue short shorts and a black singlet top over her crop top before she looked around her room again, the sheets on the bed were still pretty neat, everything was telling her it was only a dream, but it was just felt too real to be just her imagination.

Brian had fallen asleep the night before on the couch, he had a white tshirt on and a pair of dark grey knee length shorts on, the same thing he'd been wearing the night before. He was fast asleep when Morgan went into the kitchen and got herself a drink.

She looked at him, he was definitely wearing more than just a pair of boxer shorts, plus he looked like he'd been there all night.

"Didn't happen," she said under her breath before quickly and quietly disappearing back into her room.

She was finding herself moving on, but she couldn't help the fact that she was still greatly attracted to him. She didn't want to be attracted to him, but she couldn't help herself, it was just there.

She got back into bed and fell into a dreamless sleep for 2 hours before she got up and got ready for work. Brian was gone from the couch and she was very thankful for that.

* * *

Brian felt like surfing, he hadn't surfed for months and it was eating away at him. He got up and went into his room, changed into a pair of boardshorts and took his board and a towel and disappeared down onto the beach waiting for a good wave to come in. 

Rome fell asleep at 1am when Kia had left, nothing had happened between them, but they'd been talking the whole time, Rome was finding himself wanting to see her again as soon as he could.

Morgan got back in at 6pm and no one was home.

She went into her room and got changed into a denim mini skirt and a blue cotton pull over shirt that sat on her loosely.

She went to the couch and found an episode of Sex & The City was playing.

* * *

Brian had met a couple of guys while he was surfing and they'd all gone to their respective places to have a shower and get dressed and then they'd all met up at a bar and spent the afternoon there.

* * *

Rome had spent the day with Kia and Monica was with Dunn and Markham working on all the information that Morgan had supplied them with and running surveillance on Deluka and his men.

* * *

Raoul and Morgan were going on a date later on that night; Morgan really liked spending time with him. He was willing to take his time with her and she really appreciated that he was going to do that for her.

She got up at 9pm from watching nearly the entire first season of Sex & The City and had a quick shower; she wet her hair and dried it off with a towel when she got out.

Brian got back in at quarter past 9 and went into his room; he went into the empty bathroom and got into the shower. Morgan came out of her room again to go back into the bathroom and the door was closed and the shower was going.

"Fuck it," she cussed under her breath.

She went back into her room and did her hair and didn't bother putting makeup on at all besides lip-gloss.

Brian got out of the shower and wrapped the towel around his waist as he opened the door as Morgan left her room in a black satin one shouldered top and a pair of black pants that hugged her hips and then flared off and were very loose in the legs. They glanced at each other before she kept going and he went to his room.

It was hard, hard to just let go. It was four years of their lives; it wasn't like it was just getting over a relationship that lasted for a few months, it was four years that they were dealing with.

Brian got back into his room and tried to focus ahead on what he'd planned to do. Forget about her, about them completely. Fly as solo as possible and just leave it at that until maybe one day down the track if another girl came along.

He knew if there ever was another one to come along he wouldn't ever really love them, but he knew he'd try. The fact was; Morgan had his heart still, and he didn't really want it back just yet. He'd stopped hoping and wishing on a regular basis, but the thoughts were always going to remain in the abyss of his mind.

* * *

Morgan was sitting across from Raoul in the corner of a rustic restaurant with bongo drums, guitar and other instruments playing in the background.

She smiled at him and he smiled back. Morgan twirled her drink around as she let her eyes travel around the room.

They had some small talk, for some reason it was awkward. Morgan tried her best to overcome that feeling, but she realised it wasn't just her when Raoul burst out laughing.

"Why are we so awkward?" he asked and she found herself laughing.

"You know what, I have no idea whatsoever!"

He moved in his seat a little and she put down the glass she was holding and looked at him.

"Mariana, I was wondering if sometimes maybe I might rush you a little?"

She regarded him; she didn't know where this was leading, "really? Why?"

"Well, sometimes it seems like when I try and kiss you that you don't really want to, maybe it's just me. But if I am going too fast for you, let me know and I'll slow right down."

"You're not going to fast. I'm sorry! I guess it's kind of hard to explain, but I like you Raoul, really and you're not rushing me in the slightest," the truth was she found it hard, because she did really like him, but it was weird for her after Brian to be that way with any other man. She had a few small, meaningless relationships since Brian, but it was different with Raoul, because he was probably the best one since.

The other guys really only wanted one thing from her, and she couldn't have been happier with that arrangement because she only wanted one thing from them too; they'd had a good thing going on.

"Mar, if you ever wanna talk, I'm always here," he replied and she smiled.

"Thanks." She stirred her drink again.

* * *

**just a lil note here to remind you all TO REVIEW!**


	9. Ok?

_Hey all, sorry that this took so long, was working at horse sales for the past two weeks down in Sydney. Overall our stud had a good sale, we sold a colt of ours for $200 000, the sale topper was a half brother to a 2 time Melbourne Cup winner and he went for $2.5 million, I watched another colt go through the ring for a nice $1.8 million. I worked for another stud down there and had a great time. We had 7 yearlings there and they all sold pretty well, lowest price we got was $70 000. _

_The stud I worked for had a dispersal sale of all their mares, so at the broodmare sales we sold 53 mares, they all went through the ring one after the other, we were run off our feet basically. _

_Anyways, sorry again. Thankyou to all who've reviewed this, you don't realise just how much I appreciate them, shoutouts to everyone who did review - I would name name's but my computer's on the blink right now and I don't want to push my luck opening up two IE windows. Thankyou too to the person who said that this story had actually inspired them to see 2 Fast, I hope you enjoyed the movie and I hope you continue to enjoy this, I would love to hear from you again! Thankyou to all of you, I really appreciate it, hope to hear from you all soon! Enjoy:D_

**_Disclaimer - Usual disclaimer shite, I own nothing but the original characters._**

* * *

Brian found himself twiddling his thumbs in the busy, humid doctors office on a steamy Friday in August. It had been 4 weeks since the doctor had prescribed him the anti depressants. He had to go back so the doctor could check to see how he was going. 

In himself he felt great, he felt like he was back on the wagon. More than he had been for the past 3 years. He sat back and stretched out his legs as he picked up a magazine from the overflowing repertoire on the over crowded coffee table in the centre of the chaos of the reception.

'This room's too small,' he said to himself observing the scene.

"O'Conner," the small chubby receptionist called with her ever-cheerful disposition. Brian nodded and tossed the magazine back onto the table as he stood up and followed her into the doctor's room.

"Morning Mr O'Conner, how are you feeling?" the doctor asked regarding Brian over his half-moon shaped spectacles.

"Well, doc to be truthful, I've been feeling the most in control I have for the past 3 years, it's been great. I can sleep now for more than 3-4 hours a night and I dunno, but I go to sleep looking forward in some ways to getting out of bed again the next day; sounds stupid, but yeah, thank you so much." Brian flooded out and the doctor smiled.

"Good, that's exactly what I wanted to hear from you. Now I think we should discuss how long you want to have the medication for," the doctor continued on as Brian settled down into his seat.

* * *

"I'm so sorry Agent Forrester, I'm so sorry we had to tell you like this," Holly another female agent that was working in the base office with Markham and Bilkins said sympathetically with her hand on Morgan's shoulder as she stood stuck to the ground the black stiletto heels she was wearing were connected to.

Morgan just nodded silently and felt her stomach drop to the floor and her heart rise to her throat.

Bilkins asked Morgan to follow him into a room so they could talk alone.

"Morgan, I know this is a high profile case, but if you need to leave then I can make sure that it's okayed through the entire system within 2 days if need be; and I can have you on the first plane out of here by next Wednesday."

Morgan just stood listening to herself breathe. She wasn't really absorbing anything Bilkins was saying to her.

"No, no I can't leave. It, it's ok," she stammered and he looked at her.

"Morgan, like I said, I can have you out of here by Wednesday, we can find another way around, the evidence you've gotten for us already will at least get us a prosecution, I can get O'Conner and Pearce under fully to put us over the edge if need be, please consider my offer," Bilkins tried to persuade her to do what he thought would be best for her personally; he was really more acting as her friend rather than her superior.

"No, I can do it."

"Morgan please," he continued and she stood up straight.

"Bilkins, I told you, I can do it."

"Ok, but if you need to take a break it can be arranged for you," he said and she shook her head.

"Thankyou, but I can do without," she said before he nodded and they both left the room.

Morgan picked up her bag and walked out the door silently and down the path.

She sat silent on the ferry on the way home. She kept her head down and just hung back and followed the pack off the small ferry onto the jetty and she got herself a taxi home.

Morgan pulled out a key and unlocked the door. The villa stood silent and she felt relieved that no one else was there; she needed to be alone.

She shakily undid the little spaghetti straps on her heels and put them down on the floor next to the door. She moved into the kitchen slowly and wobbly and turned on the kettle. Morgan pulled out a mug and put some coffee into it; she stood fixated on the brown granules in the bottom of the midnight blue mug before she burst out into tears and slid down the cupboard to the floor.

Morgan pulled her knees up to her chest and hid her face as she cried heavily and painfully.

A couple of minutes later the kettle whistled siren-like at her to herald the boiling of the water in it. She was still sobbing, tears rolling one after the other down her already glistening cheeks and she couldn't stop them no matter how hard she tried; all she could do was cry.

Monica and Dunn had been working closely undercover together for 4 days; she was due back at the villa on the next Monday. They were working together as minor drug dealers with some of Deluka's affiliates.

* * *

Brian pretty much bounded back into the villa at 2 in the afternoon from the doctors and being out at a pub with some new found friends of his.

Morgan was still sat on the kitchen floor now completely expressionless. She had tears still falling down her cheeks but she didn't have the energy anymore to cry, the tears just kept falling and she couldn't stop them either.

He dropped his keys on the table and cleared his throat as he sat on the couch and flipped on the TV to see what was playing, he hadn't noticed anyone at home with him.

Morgan heard the door open and her stomach lurched, as she knew it was Brian. The last person she wanted around, but then on the other hand the only person she wanted around. The last thing she wanted on her mind was to be worrying about him again.

Brian kicked back and felt thirsty, he got up but just before he got to the kitchen he heard a sniff and he stopped dead in his tracks and stood stock still before Morgan cleared her throat and he started to breathe again.

He went into the kitchen and nearly tripped over her sitting on the floor. She pulled her legs in a little more and he sat down about a metre from her on the floor.

"Stupid question, but are you ok?" he asked and she nodded as she started straight ahead.

"What happened?" he asked and she just looked straight ahead.

"My father died."

Brian looked her over and didn't say anything.

He got up and put the kettle back on and waited for it to boil again as he made her a coffee and made himself one. He put the blue mug down on the floor next to her and took his and walked back into the lounge room.

He didn't want to seem like an asshole, but he couldn't really be her friend either. He wanted so badly to be there for her, because he knew the situation with her dad very well, but he just couldn't.

Brian thought it best to just leave it at that and get out of her way for a while. He knew it was going to be very hard for her and he was wondering why she was still there, why she hadn't gone home.

Morgan sobbed again and she stood up and went out onto the veranda and Brian couldn't stand being around when she was like this, he got up and went into his room and sat down on the bed and wished he could help her.

She sat on the stairs and sniffed as she looked out into the distance.

This was one time when she really needed a friend and she realised that she had no one. She really just wished that Brian was there, but it was impossible. Even that night they'd talked it still wasn't going to be right. It got worse from that point on because they could hardly stay in the same room together due to all the tension.

Brian looked out of his window and saw her sitting on the stairs flicking the hem of her skirt as she stared out into space before all of sudden bursting into life and standing up and shoving the punching bag suspended from the roof as she slid the door open and slammed it behind her.

She was wishing of sorts that Vincent wasn't in Ft Lauderdale again so she could have something to do to take her mind off things.

"My father died," she said to herself under her breath. She felt numb and it was hard to get her head around it really.

* * *

**Los Angeles – September 1999**

"Anything interesting today?" Brian asked Morgan as he put his arms around her and cuddled her from behind as they stood in the hall of their house on a Monday afternoon after they'd both finished work and Morgan was looking through that day's mail.

"Yeah, a phone bill, power bill and a very interesting looking letter from a car insurance company for a Mr. B O'Conner," Morgan smiled at him and he grinned.

"I always love getting these," he smirked as she passed him the letter from the insurance company.

"Oh wow I have mail," she said looking at a very plain large yellow envelope addressed to Ms. Morgan Forrester. She turned it over to see whom it was from and there was no return address on the back. She shrugged and opened it up and pulled out a letter.

She stood reading it silently as Brian opened up the bills and flipped through a junk catalogue from a local 2-dollar shop.

"Wow, 5 bottles of orange juice for only $4.50, who the hell needs that much damn orange juice at one time?" Brian said looking up from the catalogue to Morgan, she was standing reading the letter and had an unreadable expression on her face.

"Who's it from?" he asked and she bit her lip.

"From the agency, they, they found him," she said looking at Brian with wide eyes and he raised his eyebrows in shock.

"They found your dad?"

"Yeah!"

"Wow, that's great babe," Brian smiled at her and she smiled back and he hugged her and she kissed him.

He started to read her letter and she looked through some information about her father.

"He lives in New York," she said and Brian nodded.

"I can't believe it," Morgan said softly and Brian laughed.

"Well you're gonna have to."

"They found my dad!" she said again and Brian laughed and wrapped his arms around her tightly as she couldn't stop smiling.

Brian smiled watching her, she was so happy.

* * *

Morgan had been put up for adoption when she was only 2 months old and she was put into foster care. She spent the next 17 years of her life going from family to family. No one ever adopted her. She came close once, but her foster mother died in a car accident and it wasn't possible for her foster father then to still adopt her. She was a devastated 17-year old in Seattle with no family and nowhere to go. Morgan ran away when they tried to put her back into the system again; she couldn't handle it anymore.

She spent the next year living on friend's couches and on the streets before one day she realised what she wanted to do with herself. She got into the police academy and made a life for herself.

When she was 19 she started the search for her birth parents.

She was 20 when she moved to LA from Seattle.

* * *

"So what do you wanna do? Do you wanna meet him straight up, send him a letter first, a phone call?" Brian asked her and she shrugged.

"I have no idea. Maybe I guess I could write him a letter, it would be weird to meet him straight up and my annual leave isn't for a while yet and really I don't think we can afford either of us going to New York right now," she said and Brian nodded.

"Yeah plus neither of us have enough leave to really be able to go anywhere other than the corner store."

Morgan laughed and they went into the lounge room.

Brian sat down and Morgan let him look through her dad's information.

**Name: Ben Keenan Forrester**

**Age: 39**

**Residence: New York, NY**

**459/1234 Wern St**

**Brooklyn NY **

"Dude he's only 39," Brian found himself saying and Morgan nodded.

"So I'm 22, that means he was what, 17 when I was born."

"Yeah, that's young, I guess my parents were like 20 when they got married, I'm 23 and they were married a couple of years before they had me," Brian said and Morgan nodded.

* * *

Brian's parents divorced when Brian's younger brother Jake was 2 years old and Brian was 7. Their dad moved to LA and they only saw him on weekends and then one day Brian's mum tried to get in touch with their dad to organise Brian and Jake's next visit to find his phone had been disconnected.

She left Brian and Jake with her mother for 2 days and she went to LA and found his apartment empty and none of his friends knew where he was.

4 years down the track a postcard came in the mail from Paris, France from him.

He'd apparently met the love of his life one night in a shady bar on the Sunset Strip and they shacked up together in Boston. She was a travel agent named Trixie with bottle blonde hair and 3 piercing's in each ear; she always had the sickly sweet smell of cheap perfume and her stockings always seemed to have a ladder in them.

Brian hated her.

Brian hated her because that meant that his dad was never coming back, it meant there was no hope for his parents to ever get back together. It was ok for Jake; he was too young to remember their mum and dad together.

Then along came "Uncle" Barry. At 11 Brian found it hard to understand why Uncle Barry would stay in the same room as his mum whenever he came over. Then one day Brian's mum sat him down in his room and told him that Barry was going to be spending a lot more time with them and that he was moving in in 2 weeks.

Brian then realised that Uncle Barry was really just Barry – mum's boyfriend. Jake was 6 when Barry moved in. He really didn't have too much idea about the whole thing.

One August afternoon Brian and Jake were out in the back yard playing with their matchbox cars in the dirt when Barry came out and sat down with them.

Barry was short, slightly chubby, his hair was a moussy brown and he had green eyes. He had 2 daughters of his own, Sally and Michelle. Whenever they came over they'd try and play dress-ups with Jake but Brian would drag him away with his friend Roman and they'd all disappear down by a small creek on the outskirts of Barstow until the coast was clear.

"Boy's, your mom and I have been talking, and we want to get married. Is that ok with you guys?" Barry asked trying to do the nice thing.

Brian just looked at him and Jake smiled and crashed his little red car into the dark blue matchbox Camaro Brian was still holding in his hand. Brian let go of it and felt sick to his stomach; his dad really wasn't coming back.

"Brian, is that ok with you?" Barry asked and Brian looked at him with so much hatred in his eyes it felt like they were on fire.

"NO IT'S NOT!" Brian yelled and got up and Barry grabbed hold of him before he could run away.

"LET GO OF ME!" Brian screamed again and Barry looked at him and narrowed his eyes.

"Don't talk to me like that boy, sit down now," Barry said in a very warning tone to Brian.

"YOU'RE NOT MY DAD SO STOP TRYING TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO! I HATE YOU!" Brian yelled and pulled away and ran for his life.

Brian went into his room and slammed the door shut. He locked it and pulled out his football from underneath his bed and sat on the floor and pegged it at the door repeatedly.

Later on when the sun was setting and Brian had given up with the football and just laid on his bed looking at the wall, the door of his room slowly pushed open and his mum came in quietly and sat on his bed next to him.

He lay there ignoring her until she started stoking his blonde curls.

"Dad's never coming back is he?" Brian asked quietly and looked up at his mum.

"No he's not. But that doesn't mean that you're never going to see him again; just because your dad and I aren't together anymore means nothing. But I know that there's someone who really deserves an apology. Bri I know right now you and Barry really don't get along, but he just wants to be your friend. He's never going to replace your dad," Brian's mum Grace told him.

Brian didn't say anything but he and his mum hugged.

"Do me and Jake have to change our last name's now?" Brian asked.

"Jake and I. No you don't have to if you don't want to," she said correcting his grammar along the way.

"But Brian, I really love Barry and I want your support on this. He really makes me happy, but I can't be totally happy if I don't have your ok," Grace said to her son and he nodded.

* * *

"I really love you ya know," Brian wrapped his arms around Morgan who was curled up on the couch next to him.

"Oh really?" Morgan grinned as Brian nodded vigorously.

"Mmmhmm, definitely," he replied kissing her and she kissed him back.

"Well then I guess the feeling's mutual," Morgan said as they laid on the couch their faces millimetres apart.

"Good, I'm glad to hear that."

"Hey Bri, they found my dad!"

"I know!" Brian replied and smiled Morgan laughed and he kissed her again.

* * *

Morgan paced the room.

She didn't know what to do with herself. She felt so weird, like it wasn't happening.

Brian came back out and went into the kitchen and got himself a glass of water.

'I'm alone,' Morgan thought to herself.

"Wanna talk?" Brian asked and she stopped and chewed her lip.

"No."

"Fine," Brian saidwith a definite hint of sarcasmand she looked at him.

"What's that supposed to mean," she asked and he took a long sip of water.

"It means you can either accept that I'm trying to be some sort of friend to you or you can stay here by yourself pacing a hole in the floor," Brian told her and she looked at the floor and felt herself start to get angry.

"How the hell can you stand there and say that?"

"Morgan don't start," Brian put the empty glass into the sink and she closed her eyes and took a breath.

"Brian, I'm all alone. I don't have any family, the only family I had died. You have no idea what it's like so don't start with me either."

"Yeah, you're right, I have no idea what it's like. I still want to help you if you'd just stop being so damn stubborn and let me," he said as she sat down on the couch and he leant on the bench in the kitchen.

"I don't want you to help me. I don't need you to help me, and I certainly haven't asked you to help me, I don't need help from you or from anyone so from now on I'd appreciate you stay the hell away from me and keep your fucking opinions to yourself," Morgan got up and put her heels back on as she stormed out the door and left Brian standing in the kitchen.

"Ok so I guess I really fucked that up," he said to himself as he sighed and went into his room and lay down on his bed.

Morgan walked away from him; she couldn't handle him at that moment. She went down to a park and sat down on one of the swing sets. She wrapped her hands around the chains and swayed slowly.

She wanted to just sit there with his strong arms around her and have him talking to her in a soft voice like he used to do. There was nothing she wanted more in the world than to be back that way.

Brian sat on the bed and put his head in his hands, he seemed to have made it worse for her. The last thing he wanted to do. He felt really low.

He wanted to find her; he knew she told him to leave her alone. But he couldn't leave it at that.

Brian put on his shoes and started walking down the street. He looked into a park and found her sitting by herself on a swing set.

She was wearing a white strappy singlet and a black skirt that fell just below her knees, her chocolate colour hair tied back into a messy bun.

Morgan had focused on one space on the ground in front of her. She hadn't even really noticed Brian come up and sit on the other swing beside hers.

"Listen, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything like that," Brian started and she glanced at him.

"I really did mean it, Brian just leave me alone, I can't deal with you now," she spoke softly before getting off the swing and leaving him there.

Morgan walked off on him again; Brian sighed and rubbed his face as he looked at the ground before getting off the swing and walking back down the street again.

Morgan found herself walking along the beach carrying her heels in her hand.

Her mobile phone started ringing and she pulled it out of the pocket on her skirt and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Brian says you're not talking to him, so he made me ring instead, but we've all gotta go to the place," Rome said and Morgan groaned.

"Tell his majesty to get the hell over himself and I'll be there in 5," Morgan replied as Rome chuckled and hung up.

"She said to tell you your majesty to get the hell over yourself. She'll be here in 5," Rome told Brian and Brian raised his eyebrow.

"Wow that's a new one, like I haven't heard that from her a million times before."

"Damn man I thought y'all were over all this bullshit, she told me why you guys don't really get along," Rome said and Brian felt his stomach go into a knot – she told Rome.

Brian took a breath and tried to gather his thoughts into a logical matter again, "oh yeah, and what did she have to say?"

"She said she hates y'all cos o that LA thing and what you did, that you got back into the force. Bro, hate to say it, but I think gal would love to see you spending the rest of yo life in da big house man," Rome said with a smirk.

Brian went to open his mouth to reply when the door opened and Morgan walked in.

"Well, are we going or what?" she said breathlessly and Rome nodded and started walking out, Brian observed her as she turned again for the door and followed along.

Rome sat between Morgan and Brian on the way over and Brian endured Rome's attempts at small talk and Morgan's replies and forced laughs. He knew she wasn't in the mood for it.

Brian lead them off the ferry onto the jetty, he had to get off of there. He was in a mixed mood, he had the old feelings back again 10 times worse and he was pissed off with himself for screwing things up with her, he was worried about her because he knew how upset she would be, he was angry that he couldn't be there for her, he was angry that she thought she was alone. He just wished she could see that she would never be alone; he would always be there for her.

Morgan made a feeble smile and walked behind Rome. He had no idea about her dad and she didn't want him or Monica to know. They could never really understand so she just didn't want to go through it all, she didn't have to worry when she told Brian because he was there with her through the whole process with her dad. She felt her stomach jerk. He'd been there with her through it all.

He was her first love; he'd been there for her through so much. He'd been the reason she didn't give up when she was looking for her father; he told her that she had to do it for herself. He told her that she was never going to be alone as long as he was around, but that there was a guy out there who needed her just as much as he did and that she needed to find him.

* * *

**_Los Angeles May 24th 1997_**

'Ok! I'll go out with you now stop bugging me!' Morgan slipped the note under a pile of files on Brian's desk and he lifted them up and slipped out the piece of paper and smiled when he read it.

'How about I come and get you around 7:30 tomorrow night?' Brian wrote back and passed it over to her.

'Sounds really good, do you need my address?'

'Nah, I've been sitting outside your place every night for the past 2 months, I should be fine,' he wrote back and slipped it to her and she unfolded the paper and laughed out loud.

'So that's who that was! Explains a hell of lot. Where do you wanna go out?'

'I know a great place down by the beach, does a killer burger and fries, sound ok?'

She laughed and wrote back, 'Sounds great, so see ya 7:30 tomorrow night then.'

'Damn right you will.'

Morgan smirked and shoved the piece of paper into a drawer and got up from her seat and went into the bathroom.

She closed the door to a cubicle and sat on top of the toilet seat and made a silent excited scream before regaining her composure and slipping out of the bathroom again and down the hall.

Brian pretended to drop his pen and leant down to 'pick it up'.

"YES!" he mouthed and smiled before composing himself and sitting back up.

* * *

Markham opened up the door as Rome and Brian walked in first, Morgan came in afterwards and he pulled her aside.

"I knew you'd quit, can't handle it can you?" Markham said to her darkly and she felt something snap inside. She'd had enough.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, I don't even know why anyone bothers to put you on a case, if you ask me Bilkins was mad to put you onto such an important case like this."

Morgan's eyes were burning and her fists were clenching, her jaw tightened up.

"Fuck you prick," she uttered and he smiled.

"You might have to say that a little louder," Markham started baiting her up, he wanted her off the case and this was the way he was going to do it.

"You heard me you dumb shit, go and fuck yourself you low bastard," Morgan tried to hold her own; she was not in the right state to handle his bullshit that night.

"You're so tough aren't you? But a bit of pressure and you're out of there, just like the Jacks case, couldn't take it. I knew you'd fail, I could just see it," Markham was really doing his worst on her.

Morgan's breathing was getting harder and faster as he got her more and more worked up, she knew what he was doing and it was working.

"You failed and you didn't even have the decency to admit it," Markham kept going.

"I didn't fail Markham, you failed, and you're the one who let that dumb ass agent of yours in."

"Don't ever let me hear you say that about one of my agents again, you know nothing sweetheart, you're just a bit of eye candy and a piece of ass for the boys at the bureau. That's all you are, that's all you'll ever be."

"FUCK YOU!" Morgan yelled at him, she couldn't take it anymore.

More heated words were exchanged between them and Morgan let her tongue go completely loose, she didn't care anymore.

"You know what! I'M A GOD DAMN FEDERAL AGENT, YOU CAN'T TALK TO ME LIKE THAT!" Markham yelled back at her as she stormed off into another room bordering on the one where Rome and Brian were making coffee.

"WELL GUESS WHAT FUCKWIT SO AM I!"

Markham laughed and Morgan wound her arm back and let him have it fair in the face. He stumbled back clutching his eye.

"You little fucking whore, this will be your job," he groaned in pain as Morgan unclenched her fist, her breathing still heavy. Brian and Rome came in to see what was going on.

Brian felt himself fume when he heard what Markham said to her. He stood back up and lunged for her and she let him have it again right where it hurt with a 4-inch stiletto heel. She wound herself up again and gave it to him right in the stomach with a fist. Markham fell to the floor just as Bilkins ran in to see what all the commotion was.

"What the hell is going on in here!" Bilkins said as his eyes fell onto a very much agonised Markham curled up on the floor and Morgan standing just away from him, her face was flushed and her hands were clenched into tight fists, she was shaking from anger.

"Forrester what'd you do?" Bilkins asked as Markham started to straighten out and Bilkins could see the brilliant red mark over his left eye, it had the makings for a very black shiner.

"Why don't you ask him first before you question me Bilkins," Morgan said through gritted teeth.

"No, the both of you, this is ridiculous."

Brian stood there quietly, he wanted to defend Morgan so badly, Markham must've really said something awful to her to make her do that to him.

Rome was shocked; she'd really done a number on Markham. He wished he could just burst out laughing, because it was about time someone put that prick back into his place.

Bilkins pulled Morgan into another room and slammed the door.

"Morgan what was that?"

"He started on me, I'm sorry Bilkins, but I just couldn't control myself."

"It's not even about that, Morgan you know better! I thought you had more integrity than that, you usually handle him pretty well, maybe you should go off this case, I know you must be under some incredible stress right now, we have enough grounds now to get rid of Deluka for a while, I'll organise you to go home as soon as possible."

"No! No Bilkins! You know I can do this, I'm sorry; I know it was wrong. I can handle it though. Just let me stay, there's so much more we need on him, now I really don't think we have enough, please Bilkins come on," Morgan found herself begging him, she would never lower herself to beg unless she knew there was just so much more she could do and she would've made herself sick if she didn't have that gut feeling.

"Bilkins, you know I would never lower myself to beg unless I really had a feeling about this, just trust me on it."

"Morgan, you know I personally think that you have the makings to be one of if not my best agent, but I can't have you doing that to a superior, I know he probably provoked it, but it's only his word against yours right now and you've left him with a hell of a black eye. I have no idea how I'm going to sort this out so you don't end up loosing your job, because if he decides to press charges onto you it could very well happen, Morgan I know you don't deserve that at all, but I just wish you'd thought about it," Bilkins spoke to her as a friend.

Morgan didn't say a single word all the way back. Rome didn't try and make a conversation with her, he knew something must've been up big time.

"Hey girl you wanna come down the street with us and get summin to eat?" Rome asked as he and Brian were about to head out the door.

"Nah, it's fine I'm just gonna go to bed I've had enough for today," she said with a weak smile and disappeared down the hallway looking like hell.

"Ok, just holla at me if you want summin aiight," Rome said and she smiled at him and nodded.

They left and Morgan sat on the couch just as her eyes started to well up and the tears started again. She felt horrible. She'd pretty much lost her job and her father all in one day.

A key turned in the door and it burst open and she jumped, Brian looked at her and quickly looked away and disappeared into his room and came back out and walked out again.

Morgan got up and walked into her room and fell onto her bed, she didn't shut the door behind her she just fell onto the bed and fell asleep in her clothes.

That had been one of the worst days of her life.


	10. Work

_Hey again all, new chapter. Sorry it's taken a little while, and to all of you there who may read my other main fiction On The Inside, It should have a new chapter up soon - well hopefully... _

_Here are these shoutouts, no more excuses now, I've got a brand new computer now so it makes it all so much easier._

kEs-2717 : Oh my thankyou SO MUCH! I absolutely adored your review, you had me smiling from ear to ear for ages! I'm so happy that you love this story and love my character, it really means a lot. I hope that I can keep delivering for ya!

bbysail28 : Thankyou for the lovely reviews and for your support, really means a lot. I really hope you continue to enjoy this story:D

cheer and cheers ghost (lol) : Thanks a million girly, it really means a lot:D Take care, much love to ya!

fieke : Thankyou so much also, yours was another review I don't think I will ever forget and I really really appreciate! Please come back again and keep reading and reviewing!

shortie212and AngelRose82 : Thankyou both so much and please keep enjoying and telling me about it:D

More big thankyous to Lettytheracergirl, monika, mickael MM and Penning:D

**Disclaimer: Usual, I own nothing but the original characters and you get the rest...**

_Please enjoy, review, good or bad - flaming for no reason is pointless in my eyes however. ENJOY AND REVIEW!

* * *

_

Morgan put the finishing touches on her makeup and sprayed on her favourite Givenchy perfume and walked out the door and was picked up in a sleek black BMW, Vincent at the wheel.

Brian and Rome were meeting up with Vincent for the first time that night, they were going out for dinner and then discussing some more plans at Vincent's club later on.

Vincent got out and opened up Morgan's door for her and helped her out. He gave his keys to the valet and he slung his arm very low around Morgan's waist as they walked into the restaurant.

They were seated and sipping on champagne and Morgan was laughing along with Vincent as he told her some stories and jokes.

* * *

Rome let out a low impressed whistle as he and Brian entered the very upmarket restaurant.

Brian scanned around and Morgan sitting with Deluka laughing and sipping on champagne was the first thing he saw. He always saw her first, no matter what. She looked stunning, her hair was twisted around into a messy bun with cascading curls down her neck and her eyes twinkled. She wore a flimsy one shoulder satin top and a pair of fitted black pants and a silver chain belt. The top exposing the lower half of her tanned back and a small section of her stomach.

'Oh my god,' Brian thought to himself praying that his mouth was closed and that he wasn't drooling everywhere over how amazing she looked.

Rome for the first time really made a mental comment on how Morgan looked, he always thought she was a bit of all right, but right now she was hot in his opinion.

* * *

Morgan took a sip of the bubbly champagne and scanned around the entrance and bar of the restaurant for any signs of Brian and Rome. She glanced at the time, 8:12pm, they were supposed to be there at around 8:15. She was being paranoid; everything had to go seamlessly.

Then she saw him. Looking incredibly amazing in a white pinstripe shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a pair of dark wash denim jeans and a pair of black dress shoes, he'd ditched the usual sneakers. Rome was next to him as a waiter approached them.

Morgan didn't really pay that much attention to Rome at that point she was too focused on Brian.

'Time to play happy families…' Morgan thought to herself as she put on a smile and Rome nodded at her as they started walking over, both Morgan and Vincent rose from the table to greet them.

"Hi guys!" Morgan smiled and Rome stood between her and Brian; something that Brian wasn't too impressed with.

"Vincent, this is Roman Grey, and Brian Michaels, and guys this is Vincent Deluka," Morgan gracefully introduced everyone.

"Nice to meet you both gentlemen, now lets order huh," Vincent suggested as everyone sat down, Morgan next to Vincent and Brian sitting between Morgan and Rome.

Brian noticed Vincent slip his hand onto Morgan's back and he felt his stomach lurch. She would never. She wouldn't even consider it. She wasn't the type at all to be sleeping with him to aid the case, but from that display and her not flinching at all it started to make him come to a conclusion.

"So there's only 3 menu's here," Rome commented.

"That's fine you boys take one each Mariana and I can share." Vincent picked up the menu and opened it up and held it in the centre so Morgan could see it too and Brian and Rome picked up theirs.

During the night Brian was reasonably quiet and didn't really add much to the conversation on his own will, if he was asked something he would answer it and go into a very slight detail and then just go quiet again and let everyone else do the talking.

Morgan was doing her best not to hurl from Vincent's occasional very subtle moments with her, his hand on her back, going out of his way to brush his hand against hers. She felt so tense being in between Brian and Vincent she thought at one point she'd just stop breathing all together.

She knew what Brian must've been thinking, that her and Deluka had something going on on the side – which was so far from the truth, but she knew how he'd think and react to it.

Morgan was now even starting to drift from being as touchy feely with Raoul, she felt strange being with anyone else but Brian, even though she'd had a couple of boyfriends and a few flings in the 3 years they'd been apart.

She knew she was still very much in love and it was getting on her nerves. This would always happen to her – she'd feel like she could punch him every time he came anywhere near her, then she'd go back to being pretty much heart broken, then she'd feel like she was back in control and moving on, then it would be right back to square one and she'd find herself going through it all again.

Morgan fussed with the elaborately displayed carrot in her salad with the tip of her salad fork before taking a sip of champagne and laughing politely at a joke Rome had just told.

The three had finally finished their meals and Vincent got them all another round of drinks to finish up the night.

Morgan removed the linen napkin from her lap and folded it and placed it on the tabletop as everyone else stood from their chairs.

"So gentlemen shall I be expecting you at midnight at the Red?" Vincent asked and pretty much told them what he was expecting.

"Definitely," Brian answered for both he and Rome.

They all parted ways, Morgan leaving with Vincent in his black BMW and Brian and Rome walking back to the villa.

At 11pm the black BMW pulled up at the villa and Morgan smiled to Vincent, "so I'll be seeing you at 12 Vincent?"

"Most certainly my lovely," Vincent kissed the back of her hand.

Morgan got out and walked up the path as the car moved off.

She was met at the door by both Brian and Rome both mirroring each others somewhat disgusted expressions.

"What?" she asked stepping inside and shutting the door behind her.

"I can't believe you are sleepin wit him yo," Rome said and Morgan gave him a very shocked expression.

"Where are you getting this from?"

"Well it's pretty obvious isn't it? You were all over him just as much as he was all over you, doesn't take an idiot to know what's going on," Brian jumped in and Morgan shook her head and glared at him.

"So just because I let him occasionally cop a feel, or maybe show a little more because it's good for my cause actually means that I've lowered myself to the level of actually having to sleep with him to get where I need to be?"

"So you're not sleeping with him?" Rome asked.

"No I'm not!"

"Right, and how can you back that up with all that bullshit going on tonight, I'm sorry but I still don't get it," Brian remarked.

"Listen, if both of you really _have_ to know, I haven't had sex for 5 months, there you go now you know you can back the fuck up off of me and mind your own god damn business," Morgan burst out and left them both open mouthed as she went into the kitchen and got herself a glass of water before going out onto the veranda to drink it.

Brian and Rome looked at each other.

Rome went out onto the veranda with Morgan and Brian flopped down onto the couch and flicked on the TV.

"Sorry about that girl, we were just worried was all."

Rome sat down and Morgan looked at him and nodded.

"Well really you shouldn't be," she said and he nodded and smirked.

"What?" Morgan asked catching onto the smirk she was getting from Rome and returning it.

"Well I think yo lil outburst their caught old Bullit off guard, pretty hilarious when that happens to him, nice work girl."

Morgan burst out laughing and charged her glass into the air and Rome nodded.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Morgan announced and put her hand over her mouth.

"Why?"

"Cos you thought I was sleeping with him!"

Rome laughed as they both hoisted themselves from the chairs and went back inside.

Morgan disappeared into her room to get changed to go to the club.

* * *

She put on a black pleated mini skirt that stopped mid thigh and a black corset top. She found a pair of black heels with straps that wound up and around her legs finishing just under her knees. She left her hair and put on some more eyeliner to darken up her eyes a little and a new slick of lip-gloss.

She came back out into the lounge room with the guys and sat down on a chair and crossed her legs.

Brian looked over her and nearly thought his eyes were going to fall out of their sockets. He had the urge to go and take a very long cold shower.

He couldn't be bothered going to get changed out of what he was wearing he didn't really want to get up anyway and miss the many opportunities to check out Morgan but he had to try and control himself and not make it obvious. Because if Rome or Morgan caught on to what he was doing, he'd be in big trouble.

Morgan bounced her foot in the air watching the clock and fiddling with the hem of her skirt.

"What's up with you girl?" Rome asked and she looked at him and shook her head.

"Nothin, why?"

"You look like you're about to leap off the seat and tear out the door," Rome continued and she laughed.

"I'm fine, just a bit anxious to see how this all plans out tonight is all," she said and Rome nodded, he was a little bit nervous about it too, he wanted it all to go well; Deluka was a completely different person to Verone, he was much worse than Verone could've ever dreamed to be.

* * *

Brian knew he was right back at square one. He felt like he was 21 again and seeing her for the first time, she was amazing.

But he knew there was no hope. They'd had their time and it was over, Brian didn't want to accept that.

He wanted to be the one there for her; it was killing not being able to.

Brian was 21 when he first fell in love, he was 28 now and still just as much in love with Morgan, if not even more in love with her than he was then.

* * *

**Los Angeles August 31st 1997**

The sun was starting to disappear below the horizon-line and the pink of the sky was starting to get brighter and brighter before it would quickly become blue again and make another quick change into black.

Morgan was looking out at the scene before her as she sat in between Brian's legs and leant back on his chest and he had his arms wrapped around her and his head rested on hers.

He slipped his hand over hers and intertwined their fingers.

"There's been something I've been wanting to tell you for a while now, and I've been trying to find the right time, but I think this is it," he started and she turned a little to face him.

"Yeah? What is it?"

Brian felt nervous; he was praying she wouldn't leave him hanging once he'd told her what he was going to tell her. It was a huge step for him, he'd never said it to a girlfriend before, but he knew she was the one that was going to change it all.

"Morgan, I love you," he had finally said it to her; it was out there he was just praying to get an answer.

Her eyes sparkled and she smiled, "I love you too."

"Really?" His eyes lit up and she laughed and nodded.

"Yeah."

He kissed her and she returned it before turning away and leaning back against him like they were before and he wrapped her up in his arms a bit tighter.

* * *

Morgan woke up the next day feeling great relief; everything had gone off without a hitch.

She also felt in a way scared, Vincent wanted this all to go down in 5 weeks. It was all going to be over soon, she had to get this right.

Morgan looked over at the clock and sighed knowing she had to get out of bed.

Vincent wanted to take her around the islands with him on his yacht with some of his 'friends' for a little bit of a business and a lot of pleasure in his words.

Morgan dragged her body to the shower and crossed the quiet hall with a towel wrapped around her still slightly wet body, her thick hair wet and dripping down her back.

She pulled out a pair of light blue jeans that fit her closely and a dusty pink beaded halter top and a pair of silver kitten heels and got changed before making her way out into the kitchen and putting 2 pieces of bread into the toaster and pouring herself a glass of orange juice.

Morgan sat down at the table with her toast and orange juice staring off into space as she bit into the crunchy toast. She took a long sip of the juice and swirled it around absent-mindedly in the glass before finishing it off and taking her plates to the sink.

Brian heard her get up; he didn't move out of bed there was no point. He didn't want to leave his room all day, just lie around in bed and wallow for a while.

He'd pretty much smashed all of his rules in one night. One: he swore his eyes hardly left Morgan's ass and chest all night Two: he had 3 numbers in his pocket and he had intentions of calling two of the three girls he'd gotten them off.

He sat up, he knew he shouldn't call them, but it was killing him. He was dying to do it. He found his cell phone and turned it off and pulled the battery out of it before he could do anything.

Brian pulled his pillow over his head and ended up falling asleep again until 12:30pm when Rome bashed on his door and came bursting in and whacked him with a pillow using his freehand, the other preoccupied holding onto a doughnut.

"Get yo lazy punk ass up blondie," Rome said through the sweet doughnut in his mouth.

"Get yo annoyin ass out baldy," Brian muttered from underneath his pillow.

Brian sat up and Rome stood in the doorway devouring the last of the round chocolate snack.

"God damn man did you see the honeys at that club last night?"

"Oh hell yeah. That place is like a damn oasis," Brian smirked as Rome chuckled.

* * *

Morgan got back in the door late in the afternoon. She'd actually found herself having a genuinely good time during her day out on the yacht with Deluka, Jask, Klein and Gisele (Klein's mistress). It was like something out of a corny movie, the multi millionaires out on a lavish yacht with their mistresses and the like.

Morgan got more than her fair share of surveillance completed and she ended the day very accomplished.

She had a smile on her face as she unlocked the door and was met by Rome and Brian playing video games on the couch.

Morgan sat down on another chair in the lounge room when her phone started to ring. She answered and smiled when she realised it was Raoul.

"Hey, I was just thinking about calling you," Morgan greeted him and he chuckled.

"So was I, how funny…"

"I know!" Morgan laughed.

"So how was your day?"

"Pretty great, how about yours?"

"Well, it got better when you answered the phone," Raoul paused and Morgan laughed lightly, "but other than that it wasn't anything to complain about."

"So what'd you do?"

"Went to work and… got home and called you."

Morgan smiled as she sat with her knees drawn up and looking at her feet and her legs as she played with the denim jeans she was wearing.

Brian felt his stomach go into a knot listening to her and 'him' talk. Brian couldn't even bring himself to say his name, he was the one trying to get with his girl and Brian didn't like it at all. He knew it was so juvenile the way he was acting, but Morgan was his first and only love and he wanted her back, he didn't want some little Brazilian called 'Raoul' to take her away from him.

* * *

**4 weeks to the bust**

Another night at the Red came around. Morgan and Vincent walked into the club together and up into the VIP lounge.

Vincent led the way and Morgan followed looking around for anything that looked suspicious; a habit of hers that had developed over the months she had spent as Mariana Howard.

Brian knew exactly what he was doing when he looked her up and down in that slinky black halter dress and heels; he knew he wasn't helping himself by checking her out, but he couldn't stop.

Rome looked over at Brian and found himself in complete shock. The absolutely unthinkable was happening; Brian was checking out Morgan.

Rome kept his eyes glued to his friend. Brian would look over in her direction but look past Morgan and Vincent and then look like he was looking at Vincent but then look over Vincent's shoulder and right at Morgan. Brian was really trying to hide it and he was doing a pretty good job of it.

Rome couldn't wait until they got home to quiz him about it.

Morgan and Vincent came and sat down and Vincent ordered them all a round of drinks. The seriousness of the case was starting to seep into Brian and Rome as it had Morgan months before.

Brian took his drink and sat back and surveyed the situation. Rome doing much the same as he was, Morgan sipping champagne and Vincent now standing and talking to a short Asian man with a shaved head and wearing a black silk dress shirt left untucked and black pants and black dress shoes.

Vincent was dressed in a sophisticated Armani suit, Gucci loafers, a white pinstripe dress shirt and his large gold Rolex gleaming just under the cuff of his black jacket, its diamond encrusted dial glimmering under the lighting of the club.

"It's not about how you talk my friend, it's about how you come through for me, and, you haven't. You get my money – not one fucking cent missing to me by 12pm Sunday or I will erase you, your family and any remnants of existence you ever had on this planet, do you get that? Don't fuck with me Chung or mark my words, you will pay."

The Asian nodded and turned and walked at a fast pace away from Vincent as he smiled a sickeningly smug smile before sitting down next to Morgan and putting his hand on her leg and whispering something in her ear.

"I want to talk something over with you later on my dear. About your job."

Morgan nodded and sipped the bubbly substance in her flute as her stomach tightened.

"Gentlemen, we having a good time?"

"Definitely having a good time, damn Vin how you get all these hot female to hit up yo club like this?" Rome asked, he was quite casual with Vincent as of late.

Vincent laughed and charged his glass for a toast.

"To getting things done right," he announced as Morgan smiled and Brian and Rome met their glasses with Morgan and Vincent's.

"Mariana darling, I need you to go through what we discussed with Julio and Tito. If you could stress to them how serious we are. The boys and I are needing to discuss some things also, so please boys if you wouldn't mind," Vincent started and Morgan nodded and got up and left their table and disappearing into the crowd.

Morgan approached the two men, Julio standing at around 6ft and Tito being his complete opposite and looking like he could barely scrape 5ft. Julio smiled a slimy grin as she approached.

"Good evening gentlemen. There's something we need to discuss if you wouldn't mind?" Morgan began.

"Anything for you my lovely," Tito smiled and kissed her hand and Julio nodded with a smile.

"I really do hate to have to bring this up at such a time, but I'm afraid that it does need to be dealt with. We've noticed that your payments for the last shipment of goods has not been received into our accounts," Morgan reeled off coming off like she was a pro.

Vincent gestured for Brian and Rome to take a seat in a lavishly decorated back room.

They sat on a soft deep blood red lounge as Vincent placed himself on a chair of the same colouring opposite to them.

"I've organised windows for the two of you with the coastguard, and the local military and law enforcements for the 5 pick up points between the islands. Each of these windows will be open for half an hour at a time – as you could understand I am expecting the both of you to be extremely efficient with these collections. I have my total trust in Mariana and she has told me that you two are the men for the job, I expect nothing but the highest standards from the both of you and my goods delivered safely, securely and most of all quietly. I cannot have the authorities gaining any intelligence from this operation.

This is the biggest amount of heroin, ecstasy and cocaine ever imported into the United States and it is 75 complete. You two are the final piece to my puzzle and I cannot stress enough the importance that you are not seen by anyone do you understand me? If you don't come through for me mark my words there will be dire consequences," Vincent nodded and smiled as he shook Brian and Rome's hands.

"Mr Deluka there's no way we would let you down," Brian said as they all stood up.

"Good, that's what I like to hear Brian, and it's Vincent."

The three men exited the room and came back out and were met by Morgan.

"How did things go?" Vincent asked in her ear.

"Expect 2 million in clean cash delivered personally to the compound no later than 2pm Saturday afternoon," Morgan replied making music in Vincent's ears.

"Oh fantastic, my lovely what would I do without you?" Vincent smiled and kissed Morgan on the cheek and put his arm around her as she laughed and smiled.

Rome and Morgan continued on to sit down in the lounge and Brian and Vincent hung back.

"She's magnificent isn't she?" Vincent stated looking at Brian and waiting for his reply.

"Yeah she's amazing," he answered truthfully.

Vincent chuckled, "now you come with me and we'll go and have us some fun shall we."

Brian smirked and the two walked off towards the bar.

"Where are they off to?" Morgan asked as Rome shook his head.

"Wanna go dance?" Rome asked.

Morgan grinned and stood up leading Rome out with her to the dance floor.

Brian watched her moving out on the dance floor with Rome from his stance with Vincent and a group of scantily clad girls surrounding them.

The two men stood talking to the girls and as one girl dressed in a purple mini skirt and a barely there sparkly purple top which hardly fit around her chest pretty much hung herself from Brian he felt disgusted with himself.

He was turning into his father. His father – the man he'd always wanted to grow up to be like until he turned 15 and woke up to the man his father really was. He'd walked out on Brian, Jake and Brian's mum and then ran off a couple of months later with a tacky travel agent and moved to the other side of the country, then after 7 years of marriage she was fed up with him and kicked him out. Then he started to play the field and Brian hadn't heard from him since.

Morgan had left Brian after 4 years because she was fed up with him, but when Brian really thought about he'd deserved everything he got. As soon as that relationship was over Brian was left heart broken and there was Mia, after that one was finished with 2 weeks later he was onto playing the field as soon as he had settled down in Miami.

He detached himself and told Vincent he was going to go home and thanked him and started to exit the club.

* * *

Brian walked home as rain started to bucket down on him. He didn't hurry himself along; he just kept walking in the pouring rain. Cold rain pelted down hard on his back until it felt like icy needles poking him. By the time he'd gotten to the door he felt like his back was on fire it was stinging so much.

He went into his room and peeled away the wet clothes from his sore, tired body and got changed into a pair of boxer shorts and tan slacks before throwing his saturated clothes into the washing machine and starting it up.

Brian crawled into bed and pulled his pillow over his head and groaning before removing it and turning on his side to watch the storm outside.

"God please just give her back to me."

He fell asleep an hour later.

* * *

Morgan and Rome got home at 4 in the morning and there was drunken laughter and banter throughout the halls that woke Brian from a deep sleep. He sat up and leant against the wall and closed his eyes and listened to himself breathe and her voice in the hallway outside of his door.

"Oh man what's the damn time?" Morgan asked with a slur in her voice as Rome burst out laughing and she joined him.

"Ahh hell guuurl I dunno," Rome slurred back and they busted up again.

"I'm gonna crash Romey, see ya in the morning," Morgan said and Rome smiled at her and she opened her door up.

"See ya girl, have a good sleep," Rome said as he too went into his room and fell on his bed and passed out.


	11. Sunrises

_Hey all, sorry again that it's been a little while in the making, but I've tried my best to keep it fast. _

_I can't believe how fricken pissed I am, NSW will most likely win Origin 1, the game's not over yet but we're trailing by a point. COME ON QUEENSLAND! COME ON BOYS! _

_Thanks again to everyone who reviewed, definitely makes my day hearing from you guys:D _

_Enjoy REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! PRETTY PLEASE!_

**_Usual Disclaimer gear here. Song featured - Sunrise by Simply Red._**

* * *

Morgan, Rome and Brian were sitting in the deserted lounge room of the safe house. Bilkins and Monica were in another room sorting things out from her part of the case. Markham had gone back to Miami for the remainder of the case.

"Ok, I don't need to know nothin 'bout yo punk ass blondie. But you girl, I don't know hardly anythin bout y'all," Rome sat back as Morgan put on her glasses.

"Ok, what do you want to know?"

"Everything," Rome smiled.

"Oh he doesn't ask much," she smiled before getting comfortable.

"No I don't girl."

Morgan laughed, "ok, so this might be easier, you ask and I'll answer alright?"

"Where were ya born?"

"Seattle."

"How old are ya?"

"Should never ask a girl that, but 27."

"Come on girl I'm runnin outta stuff, where did ya grow up; in Seattle?" Rome asked rubbing his head and Morgan smiled and nodded.

"Yeah I did."

"So what are ya rents names?" Rome asked and Brian watched Morgan waiting for an answer.

"Well, my dad's name was Ben and I really don't know that much about my mom."

"Did she leave you guys?" Rome asked and Morgan shook her head.

"No, they put me up for adoption when I was 2 months old."

"Awww girl I'm sorry, I shouldn't a asked ya that," Rome said looking worried and Morgan shook her head.

"Really, it's fine. Don't stress out on me boy."

"Sorry girl!"

"It's fine Rome! My dad told me that they put me up for adoption because they were both so young and her parents hadn't liked him from the start, and when she wouldn't get rid of me they told her she could go through with it and she could keep me and lose them, or give me up and they'd take her back. But I guess her family was really rich and she didn't want to live a normal life with me and my dad so she left us. My dad had to give me up a month later because he couldn't give me what I needed. I didn't understand that for a long time, but when I got older and I met him and we talked about it all, I saw where he was coming from; took me quite a few years for that though." Morgan finished and Rome looked at her and nodded. He would've never thought that she had a history like that before.

"Ok, so after that, I kinda just got passed around from foster family to foster family. Until I was 16 and a half when I got placed with a really terrific family and.. uh, not too long after my 17th birthday uh my foster mom was killed in an accident and after that they couldn't adopt me. So I ran away and just lived on the streets until I was 18 and was allowed to be free," Morgan continued and Rome just listened on in an almost awe of what she had been through in her life.

"To make a longer story a lil bit shorter, I got into the police academy and into the force in Seattle, then one day I was; well I guess I was offered a place in Los Angeles. That was when I had just turned 20. I took it and moved there."

"Damn girl!" Rome chuckled and Morgan laughed, Brian found himself cracking a smile. He knew everything she was talking about and just hearing how she told it now how much some of the ways she reacted to things had changed. It'd taken her a while to talk about her mother like that, and to tell Rome about it like she had.

"So how'd you end up in Miami?" Rome continued.

"Well, I stayed in LA for 4 and a half years, and then one day I went to work and Bilkins was there to see me, and he offered me a position in the FBI down in Miami with him. He'd heard about me from my old superior officer, Tanner, and I guess maybe Tanner put in the good word for me and then I took the test and passed and moved to Miami and here we are." She sighed at the end of it all. Missing a huge chunk of the story out. Rome was completely oblivious and unaware that the two people in the room with him had such a history together and most of Morgan's story seemed to involve Brian in some way, she had to work around those parts though.

"Nice, now I can die in peace girl," Rome smirked and Morgan burst out laughing at him and shook her head before she got up and went and got herself a glass of water and came back and sat down.

"Now Rome, you know all about me it's your turn now!"

Brian sat back and listened to Rome and Morgan telling each other about their lives. Wishing he could just disappear for a while and think things through as best he could. He was finding it a little hard again without her and he was afraid of slipping back into his old routines. He was scared to death to think that he'd come so far only to lose it all again from underneath him. Brian wanted nothing more than to just hold her in his arms again; it'd make everything a-ok. But then his mind led him to think that maybe it wouldn't just be ok. It probably would never be ok. How could just having her back help anything he'd been feeling?

Listless sleep was all he got out of that night. Getting up and turning on his light he pulled out the photo he had from LA of them together. It was taken about a year exactly before they broke up. They were at a party at Jason's place and Morgan was wearing a blue tank top and dark jeans, her hair was just above her shoulders and she had it done half up and half down with wispy parts around her face and a pair of silver hoop earrings on. Brian was wearing a white t shirt and pair of jeans. She was leaning back on him and he had his arms around her as they sat out by a pool with the backdrop of fairy lights and palm trees behind them. It had to have been one of his favourite pictures of them together.

* * *

Morgan got out of bed and was met by Brian and Rome in the kitchen and Monica heading out the door.

She entered the kitchen just as toast popped in the toaster, no one was claiming it so she went in for the kill.

"I'm claiming this toast if no one else does in exactly 10 seconds. 10, 9 , 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, yoink."

Buttering her newly claimed toast Brian woke up from the daydream he had been devoured into and snapped his attention over to her.

"Hey that was mine," he whined.

"You had your 10 seconds." She took a bite out of one of the pieces of toast and went to the fridge for the orange juice.

Letting out a string of less than holy phrases Brian mumbled his way over to the couch and plonked himself down.

Morgan rolled her eyes and threw two more pieces of toast into the toaster and went off and sat at the dining room table with Rome.

"So girl, you feelin the new track from our man Luda?"

"Oh hell yes! Get back get back y'all don't know me like dat!" Singing along before taking a sip of her orange juice.

Brian heard the toaster go off again and looked over at the toaster and then over at Morgan who had a mouth full of juice, she pointed at him and then at the toaster. He nodded and got up and pulled out the two pieces of toast and buttered them up and took them back to the couch.

* * *

Trying to whittle away the hours a bit faster Morgan paced the lounge room trying to find something to do with herself. Brian had gone back to bed. Morgan was a bit worried about how tired he always seemed to be, that wasn't him. Rome had gone out with Kia, Monica had gone back in undercover and Brian and Morgan and Rome weren't expected to go to see Vincent until 4pm that afternoon.

Tuning in the radio Morgan tapped her fingers on the kitchen bench waiting to find something worth listening to. Finding herself letting out an excited squeal as the sounds of Sunrise by Simply Red made it's way into her ears. One of her major vices had always been Simply Red music.

She turned it up loud forgetting completely about Brian trying to get some sleep as the music took over her. She sang along and danced around.

Brian was startled from a very light nap by the noise which had erupted from the lounge room and the kitchen.

* * *

**As I look into your eyes I see the sunrise **

**The light behind your face helps me realize **

**Sunrise...**

**Will we sleep and sometimes love until the moon shines **

**Maybe the next time I'll be yours and maybe you'll be mine **

**Sunrise...**

**I don't know if it's even in your mind at all **

**It could be me **

**At this moment in time **

**Is it in your mind at all **

**It should be me**

**It could be me (What's in what's in your mind?) **

**Forever **

**Wondering through life will love come home to you **

**And the love you want forever, will they be true to you **

**Shhhhh...**

**Will we sleep and sometimes love until the moon shines **

**Maybe the next time I'll be yours and maybe you'll be mine **

**You'll be mine...**

**I don't know if it's even in your mind at all **

**It could be me **

**At this moment in time **

**Love's indescribable **

**It should be me **

**It could be me (What's in what's in your mind?)**

**Forever **

**Easy, ready, willing, over time **

**Where does it stop where do you dare me to draw the line **

**You've got the body now you want my soul **

**Don't even think about it say no go **

**Sunrise...**

**I don't know if it's even in your mind at all **

**It could be me **

**At this moment in time **

**Is it in your mind at all **

**It should be me**

**It could be me (What's in what's in your mind?) **

**Forever **

**Sunrise...**

**At this moment in time **

**Is it in your mind at all **

**It should be me**

**It could be me (What's in what's in your mind?)**

**Forever...**

**Forever...**

**Sunrise...

* * *

**

"I don't know if it's even in your mind at all

It could be me

At this moment in time

Love's indescribable

It should be me

It could be me

Forever," Morgan sang along at the top of her lungs.

Brian smiled as he laid back and listened to her. He hadn't heard her sing for years like this. It was good to hear her sounding so happy. It made him feel so much better knowing that she was ok.

'Always been an awful singer,' he laughed and closed his eyes.

Morgan was feeling terrific, dancing around the room and singing her heart out. She knew she was awful at it and her voice wasn't too wonderful, but it didn't stop her in that moment.

After the song had finished Morgan took a deep breath and let it out with a huge smile. Turning off the radio she got herself a glass of water and an apple.

Brian heard it all go back to being very calm like it had before and he sighed and rubbed his face trying to wake himself up a little. He reached over and pulled out the orange bottle and tipped two of the white pills into his hand and swallowed them down.

Morgan turned on the XBOX and found a game and put it in. She'd just started to play as Brian came out in a pair of jeans and a light blue shirt. He went over and sat on the other end of the couch and watched her game for a little while until she'd finished, no words had been exchanged between them at all. When she'd finished up she got the 2nd controller and passed it over to him.

"I am in need of a serious rematch."

"Oh what, couldn't handle loosing," Brian smirked as they started up a new game.

"Well, no, not really," she said and they both laughed.

Brian and Morgan were sitting on the couch side by side engrossed in the battles they were having on the television screen. The atmosphere between them was calm and they were having the occasional laugh or one of them would say something to make the other laugh.

Brian had won 3 of their 4 matches so far in the virtual boxing ring.

"No, no you're not leaving! Sit yourself back there," Morgan concentrated on the screen clutching the controller in her hands; ready to go again.

"Ok.. But I'll just keep winning." Smirking, Brian picked up the controller again and sat back down and got comfortable; he hadn't really wanted to leave her side anyways.

"Like hell you will!" she laughed as he let out an exaggerated sarcastic sniff.

Morgan had won 4 out of the next 5 battles. The scary thing was that Brian had only let her win one.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"Oh I'm good now," Morgan smiled as she stretched.

"Well I'm not, sit yourself back here." Brian shook the controller and she laughed.

"Now who can't handle loosing?"

"Me, so sit back down here," he smirked and she rolled her eyes and sat back down and picked up the controller.

"Ok, now if I win these we call it even," Brian continued looking at the screen and then at her for a reaction.

"How the hell is that even?" she laughed.

"Well, I don't know, it just sounded good to me."

"Yeah that was what I was thinking."

Brian grinned and she shook her head as their game started up.

He was loving how things were at that point in time. It was almost like nothing had ever changed; but if that were true they would've most likely been laying over each other and not sitting on almost opposite sides of the couch. But he'd found they'd gotten a little closer each time.

It was hard to tell what she was feeling. Was she head over heels for the Brazilian or was she still just as much in love with Brian as he was with her? For once in his life he couldn't read her.

* * *

_**San Francisco - September 1998**_

"So what do you wanna do first?" Morgan smirked playfully; slightly short of breath.

He grinned, his blue eyes twinkling as he pulled her over and planted a few very hot kisses on her.

"Oh good, I was thinking this too," she managed to slip out in between.

He chuckled, "we just have so much in common!"

A group of 20 officers from the LAPD had been sent to San Francisco to help out on an operation with the local department.

Jason and another officer, Kara were in the common room when Brian and Morgan made their way to their bedroom hurriedly.

"Do they ever stop?" Kara asked Jason as they both stood there in almost amazement.

"Nope, not that I've noticed," he shook his head with a laugh.

"How long have they been together?" Kara asked as her and Jason sat down on the arm chairs.

"Over a year now, you wouldn't think though the way they act," he said as they heard a bed creak.

"Oh shit," Brian laughed as Morgan smiled and pulled him back down over her.

They were underneath the covers and it made another much louder creak and Morgan burst out laughing.

"Wanna freak em out," Brian breathed onto her neck as he trailed kisses from her collarbone up her throat.

"God yes," she breathed out and he laughed.

"Oh lord," Jason sighed when they heard the bed creak again from the common room.

Kara and Jason felt safe that they weren't going to hear anything else after it had been silent from Brian and Morgan's room for 5 minutes. He and Kara were watching something on TV when they heard more noise coming out of the room.

This time the bed was creaking again, but it kept going, getting louder and faster mixed with moaning and incomprehensible speech.

"No way!" Kara and Jason seemed to both say at the same time as they got out of there as soon as they could.

After another 10 minutes outside they carefully opened up the door and all was silent again except for the television.

"Coasts clear now," Kara whispered as she pushed open the door a bit more and went back inside.

"Wonder if it worked?" Brian asked breathlessly resting his forehead on Morgan's. Their breathing still hard.

She moved her hands up his back which was glistening with sweat before she lost her fingers in his hair.

"Doesn't really matter if it didn't."

"Oh god I love you so much," he whispered still breathless into her lips before kissing her.

"I love you too."

"That had to have worked," she laughed out of the blue and he nodded before laying back and wrapping his arms around her as she snuggled into his side.

* * *

"So man, there's just one thing that I never could've expected from you in my wildest dreams.." Rome started off as he and Brian were making their way to Deluka's compound. Morgan had already left and Brian had had 20 minutes to himself in between her leaving and Rome arriving.

He sat back in disbelief of the afternoon he had had with her. They talked civilly, laughed, played games together on the XBOX. He felt at ease. Something he'd missed feeling around her and had been longing for ever since he'd seen her again.

Back in the day she was the one he'd go to whenever he really needed someone to talk to. They would tell each other absolutely everything and it kept them strong.

"What's this man?" Brian asked regarding Rome strangely. The blonde man had absolutely no idea where this was going.

"You, I mean YOU of all people, it amazed me when I saw it."

"God damn it Rome what the fuck are you going on about!" starting to get irritated with the way his friend was tip toeing around what he was going to say Brian ran his hand through his hair.

"I'm going on about you completely mackin out on Mariana the other night at the club."

Brian's eyes went wide.

'Fuck,' was all that seemed to enter his mind. He was blank as how to reply to that.

"What?"

"You know exactly what I'm talkin about bro. I watched you doing it for a solid 10 minutes. You were doing a good job a coverin yo tracks, but not that good."

"That's insane man. I'd rather cut off my tongue than check her out. You've gotta be shittin me!" Brian lied like a pro.

"Man I knows what I seen, you ain't gonna make me believe y'all no matter what you say. Just come clean, say it, 'I was checkin out Mariana'."

"Why would you want me to lie man, I'm not going to say I was checking out Mariana when I know that I wasn't; what's the point?"

"It's easy bro, alls ya gots to do is say it."

"No."

"You'll feel better."

"I wasn't Rome."

"No one likes a liar."

"I'm not a liar Rome."

"Brian, didn't you listen to your mom when she taught you it's rude to lie to a brother."

"I listened and I'm not lying bro."

"Well I think you are."

"Well I think you're bein a god damn pain in the ass."

"Is that because I know yo lying?"

"No it's because you keep on about it when I wasn't god damn doin anything!"

"So why you getting all pissy if you 'weren't doin anything?'," Rome inserted the last phrase into inverted commas.

"Because you keep saying I was 'checking her out' when in reality, I wasn't."

"But you were."

"No I wasn't."

"I think you were."

"Well I told you I wasn't."

"Doesn't stop me from knowin that you were."

"Doesn't stop me from wantin to fuckin kick your ass if you don't shut up about this shit."

"Now now Brian, threatenin me isn't gonna change the fact you were checkin her out."

Brian sighed. This wasn't about to end any time soon.

"God Rome, please just drop it."

"No."

"Rome I'm serious now, please let it go ok. Think whatever you want, I really don't care. Just drop it."

Rome looked over at Brian and saw that he looked very tired and run down again.

"What's been wrong with you lately man? This isn't you."

"What's not me?"

"You're always tired and just not you man. It's like you've done a complete 360."

Brian sighed, "I dunno man, just different things, it's nothing to be worried about or anything, I just don't get that much sleep anymore."

'I want her so bad that I can't sleep. I want her so bad that it feels like a burning ache that never seems to end. I want her so bad that sometimes I just wanna break down and sometimes I just wanna yell. I want her so bad that I can't think straight, I want her so bad that I just lose my sight for minutes at a time,' Brian felt like saying but kept it to himself.

'I need to make this end before I do something stupid, if you really wanna know man I've been so low that I've wanted to just end it all. Make everything go away forever. You don't know how many times I've felt like that. You have no idea what it's like to need someone; love someone so much that it could do this to you. You don't know how pathetic it feels that after 3 years I'm still a pitiful mess over this girl when she's fine, she's like I should be. Over it.'

"Ok man." Rome didn't want to push the situation he just wanted to let it lay.


	12. Ain't No

_Hey, Ringles here – probably thought I'd died it's been so long. But no, I'm still kickin. Very sorry that this has taken me so long to write, but I just don't write anymore, I remember a time when it was every night, I'd be itching to get home from school so I could get on the computer; open up MS word and write to my hearts content – but that stopped a very long time ago. _

_I've been concentrating on a lot of other things, namely photography – my one and only true passion these days, not that I'm overly fantastic at it, but it's just something I 've always loved doing and am doing all the time now it seems. _

_I'm gonna still keep on with this and OTI, don't worry. OTI's going to be completely rewritten in about 2 months once my school year is finished – it's just gotten too thrown out of whack over the year and half it's existed, so I'm gonna go through it all again and fix a lot of things up, and that jazz. _

_M'kay, back down to business. Thanks to all you lovely people out there for the continued beautiful reviews – they really make my day; I know everyone says that; but they say it for bloody good reason! So thanks a bunch to Anna, MrsBloom1984, Cheer as always, Fieke, kEs-2717, ScorpioTeenand bbysail28! You guys have really kept me going with this lately! Thanks so much! _

_Hope you all enjoy and REVIEW! And sorry for this long assed A/N!_

_**Disclaimer gear here…** Song – Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers_

* * *

_**Ain't no sunshine when she's gone.**_

_**It's not warm when she's away.**_

_**Ain't no sunshine when she's gone**_

_**and she's always gone too long**_

_**anytime she goes away.**_

Lightning bolted across the sky and rolls of thunder broke the pouring rain over the ocean. The wind was roaring and the windows rattling in the French doors of his room. He lay in bed watching it all.

His heart was smashed to pieces and all he could feel was pain throughout his body; a dull ache that hadn't really seemed to stop for 3 years.

"Um, Mar. I guess there's something I wanna talk about with you," Raoul straightened up his seat on his couch and she nodded and could almost feel what was going to follow.

"Yeah, uh actually there's something I wanna talk about with you too," Morgan pulled her knees up to her chin.

"But you can go first if you want," she smiled weakly and he shrugged.

"Nah really it's fine, I'd rather you go actually!" he laughed and she smiled a bit wider.

Breathing a sigh she thought it best to just tell him, "I don't know if I can do this anymore," he decided to let her speak so she continued, "I feel like I'm cheating you because I can't give you my all like I really would've liked to."

"Ok, I was going to pretty much say the same thing. I don't know if this is what you want and I really just want you to be happy, and it's kind of crossed my mind too that I don't even really know if this is what I want either," Raoul told her and she nodded and chewed her lip.

"I know. I guess why I can't well I dunno, why it's hard for me is I'm in love. I've been in love with this guy since I was 20 years old and, I really don't know if I'll ever stop. I'm sorry."

Morgan looked down at the patterned rug on the floor and Raoul nodded, he had pretty much sensed for a long time anyway that her heart wasn't in it at all. He cared for her as a friend and there was no way he was upset with her, he would've been a hypocrite because he had the intention of ending it too because he didn't think his heart was in it either.

"It's ok. You don't have to be sorry, but god damn, that's a long time!" Raoul smiled and tilted her chin up to look at him and she laughed and nodded.

"Yeah I guess so," she sighed.

"So tell me, come on we're still friends right?"

Nodding she smiled and decided he was going to be the one she would tell everything to.

"Well, I was 20 and he was 21 when we met, we worked together. I transferred from Seattle to LA and yeah.." she paused, "then we formed a friendship which was pretty heavily based on him asking me every 3rd day to go out with him every so often, I guess I was playing hard to get for a bit of fun; I really wanted to say yes the first time.

We started dating and after like 8 months we moved in together, and after that we were together for 4 years and I.. well I thought that he was cheating on me with a girl he'd met a few weeks before I left him. I mean, at the time I was feeling like we'd been together for so long that he wouldn't want me anymore; I really don't have a clue why I even started thinking like that you know," she sniffed praying no tears would fall from her eyes.

Raoul rubbed her back, "you were probably just thinking that after so long he might've been tired of it. I know in some relationships I've had I've often wondered whether or not they were sick of me."

"Yeah, but I feel like in the end I wouldn't have blamed him if he had cheated on me. I put him through so much, he tried everything he could for weeks to get me to believe him, believe that he was just as faithful as he'd been when we'd first gotten together. I wouldn't have blamed him in the end if he did go and do what I'd been so convinced he had been. After 3 years I believe him, I know now that he would've never done anything like that. It's all my fault that our relationship broke down like it did.

Being stupid and insecure and paranoid, I ruined us. I actually pray that he forgives me now."

"Where is he now?"

"Well, you wanna hear a funny story?"

Raoul looked at her with his head tilted in confusion.

"It's Brian."

Raoul coughed in shock, "you're joking!"

She shook her head and rested it on her knees.

Breathing out she replied, "nope."

_**Wonder this time where she's gone,**_

_**wonder if she's gone to stay**_

_**Ain't no sunshine when she's gone**_

_**and this house just ain't no home**_

_**anytime she goes away.**_

Raoul was in utter shock. Brian was the last person he'd ever expected her to be talking about. He seemed like a nice guy, he'd only met him a couple of times, but he liked him even though he and Morgan never seemed to get along.

"Hilarious isn't it?" she asked with a wry smile.

"Shocking yes." He ended up laughing and she felt like she needed to with him.

"You know you're the first person I've talked to about this for 2 years."

A large bolt of lightning shot across the sky blazing a silver trail through the heavy and thick storm clouds. He was still laying amongst the sheets and blankets and pillows lost in a deep silence. Just laying and watching.

They were standing in Raoul's doorway and Morgan smiled, "so I guess this is it huh."

"Well I hope not! Mar, I still wanna be friends with you; I think anyways we were better friends than anything else!" he smiled warmly and she nodded with a smile to match his.

"So I'll see you around then," she brushed some hair off her face they both gave each other a kiss on the cheek and a hug.

"That you will." Raoul and Morgan parted their ways and she got into the car Vincent had given her and drove off towards the villa.

Something felt different about that night, there was something new in the air it seemed. Something electrifying; it almost made the hairs on her neck stand on end. The atmosphere was powerful and mysterious.

She parked the car and turned off the lights. Making a run through the rain to the house she all of a sudden stopped mid flight. It was like something told her she should be standing still right then out in the rain.

The sky still flashed and thundered but her feet were stuck to the ground.

Brian looked out his window numbly until he saw her standing there looking upwards. He had no idea what she was doing out there like that, but seeing her there soaking wet, her long hair drenched and sticking to her neck and her arms wrapped around herself tightly he wasn't sure if he'd ever been more in love with her.

She shook her head and smiled to herself before tucking some wet tendrils of hair behind her ear. Morgan laughed to herself and kept jogging inside.

Brian felt his eyes burn. It had nearly killed him watching her out there and knowing she was never going to be his again.

"My oh my is it raining out there or what!" Morgan exclaimed to Rome as she came in from the veranda soaking wet.

"Would never have noticed girl!" he chuckled at her.

"You look like a drowned rat," Rome laughed and Morgan poked her tongue out at him.

"Keep it up and you'll know the feeling of having your ass kicked by a drowned rat."

"Ooohhh I'm shakin girl!" Rome quipped.

Morgan laughed and shook her head, "I'm not even going to grant you the satisfaction my man."

"Sure ya won't.." he smirked and she play punched him in the arm.

"Yeah, sure.." she laughed.

"So girl we weren't expecting y'all home until tomorrow morning…" Rome smirked and she whacked him harder than she did before.

She shook her head and laughed, "nah, Raoul and I kinda broke up tonight."

Rome's eyes widened, half due to the fact that she was so cool about it, and half due to the fact that they had broken up. "Wow girl, I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's fine. It was 100 mutual. This is the funny thing, I went there tonight with an agenda, of just asking to be friends, and he asked me over with the same thing on his mind. So that's what we are."

"Well that, I guess is good," he said with a grin, "ya know, we're kinda in the same boat. Kia and I kinda decided to keep in touch as friends. It just wasn't… I dunno I don't think I… Girl I think I love Sandra." Rome blurted out and Morgan choked on the mouthful of water she had.

"I KNEW IT!" she shouted out and Rome laughed; his face creating a perfect mirror of his feelings at that moment - complete shock.

"How? I didn't even really know it?"

"Well, I mean you pretty much hung around her most of your free time when we were all working together, and well I've caught you checkin her out from time to time. It was kinda obvious in some ways, but you did a good job of throwing me off I gotta give it to ya! So what are you gonna do about it?"

"I really don't know yet. I guess I'll figure it out later."

Morgan nodded and smiled to herself as she got up to go and get a drink from the kitchen. Brian wandered out and joined them. He had nothing else to do and he was sick of trying to get to sleep; he couldn't silence his mind no matter how hard he tried; he'd been trying for 3 years and nothing had worked yet.

"If you ever need help you know who to ask aiight," Morgan smiled and Rome nodded with a smirk.

"Surely girl."

"Yo man you ok?" Rome asked Brian as he noticed him come in.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Rome just shrugged. Brian seemed to be in a very irritable mood and he didn't want to push his luck at all.

Brian had been out most of the day with Rome. Morgan got home from Vincent's and felt like playing music and working out. She felt like she had a lot of spare energy to burn and it was the best way at that point. She'd had Brian on her mind for the past day non stop. Ever since she'd told Raoul about her and Brian she couldn't get him off her mind. She'd found peace for a while and she knew she'd lost it again.

Music started to blare out of the stereo while Morgan slipped into her room to get changed into a light blue Adidas sport singlet and a pair of black pants and her black joggers. She tied her long hair up into a high ponytail with little wisps of fringe falling around her face.

* * *

_**Los Angeles - 1997**_

"Is there something wrong?" he asked and she shook her head.

Morgan was nervous, she was afraid that he would think she was worried about what he'd think.

"Are you a.." he started but he was cut off.

"Um, well no, not technically, but it was only once, and it was a complete disaster and I'd rather forget about it!" she confessed and he chuckled and tilted her chin up.

"Then we can take this as slow as you want," he kissed her and she nodded and kissed him back.

Morgan danced around and landed a few punches into the bag suspended from the roof. She just let the music take over and closed her eyes and felt it flowing through her entire body. It was time for her to just let go. Let it all go.

_**Miami - August 2004**_

Club R bounced from the beats of hip hop and crunk as Rome and Brian found their way through the door with relative ease, Rome being friends with a bouncer there seemed to help the process.

"Yo my peeeeepppzzzz gots some serious old school for y'all!" the DJ called out and there was a good response from the crowd as Will Smith - Boom Boom Shake The Room came on.

"Ha, I can't believe they're playin this!" Morgan laughed as Josh a tall, green eyed self proclaimed stud from the FBI and Klien another FBI agent grinned. Klien's girlfriend and 2 other girls came over from the dance floor, Josie was pulled into Klien's arms and Josh slung his around Morgan's shoulder.

He'd tried it with Morgan, they'd had themselves a 2 week fling and decided the sex was good, but they were better as friends.

Rome and Brian went straight to the bar and Rome looked around scoping around any possible talent. He spotted some familiar faces standing around a table on the left.

He nudged Brian's arm, "yo is that Forrester, Josh, Klein and Leanne?"

Brian's stomach wrenched as soon as Rome had pointed them out.

Morgan was the last person he'd wanted to see, he'd seen her too much already and it was more than enough for him.

"Yeah." Brian took a swig of the beer he'd ordered while Rome was too busy looking for ladies.

Stand Up by Ludacris came on and Josh lead Morgan out onto the dance floor.

Brian and Rome had taken up station with the group of FBI agents at the table.

Looking out over the crowd and somehow being able to pinpoint exactly where they were Brian watched on as Morgan and Josh dirty danced together and carried on. He didn't know how to react anymore, he wished he didn't care, he did it all the time so why couldn't she; but something just wouldn't allow him to do that as much as he wanted to.

He looked away and elbowed Rome, "Man I'm gonna go home, not really feelin all that good aiight."

"Aiight man, catch ya."

"Yeah." Brian mouthed as he pushed through the crowd and back outside.

He breathed in and rubbed his face before waiting for a cab.

* * *

_**And I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,**_

_**I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,**_

_**I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,**_

_**I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,**_

_**I know, I know, I know**_

Brian walked up the pathway leading to the house by himself. He heard the beats of music coming from inside and knew immediately that it was just going to be he and Morgan there.

She wiped her face with a towel as the door opened and Brian walked in with his head down. She came back inside and turned the music off and went and got into a shower to cool herself down and wash the sweat she'd gathered off of her body.

Brian found himself loitering in his bedroom door unsure of where he was going. He didn't know what to do and it was starting to annoy him. 'Like it's such a hard discission!' he thought to himself as he shut his bedroom door loudly.

_**Hey, I ought to leave the young thing alone,**_

_**but ain't no sunshine when she's gone,**_

_**ain't no sunshine when she's gone,**_

_**only darkness everyday.**_

_**Ain't no sunshine when she's gone,**_

_**and this house just ain't no home**_

_**anytime she goes away.**_

_**Anytime she goes away.**_

_**Anytime she goes away.**_

_**Anytime she goes away.**_

_**Anytime she goes away.**_

"I've gotta let this go, it's fucking pathetic," he told himself aloud. It was pathetic and he knew it. 3 years and he was still just as messed up over this girl as he had been the night she left him. He hadn't made a whole lot of improvement over all that time - It had been 1 095 days since she left, 26 280 hours they'd been apart, 1 576 800 minutes since he'd told her he loved her that final time when she was walking out the door.

And the fact that he was still acting like a lost puppy was what made him even more angry with her and with himself.

An hour later he was still laying on the bed in his room and still in a mental tug-of-war with himself; it all fell apart when there was a knock on his door. He swung himself off of his bed and opened it up to find Morgan standing there with jeans and a black tube top on.

"Um, sorry if you were asleep or something, but Vincent needs you and Rome down with him immediately. Take my car, get Rome and both of you need to be there no later than 5:30. And, um please don't steal this car, I really like this one.."

Brian just looked at her and didn't know how to react to the last comment, did she mean it as a joke or was it just another snide comment directed at his actions back in LA?

"Well I know it wasn't the best joke but you could've at least cracked a smile sheesh," she sighed as she started off down the hall and he woke up and chuckled.

"Well I wasn't sure how to take that one," he replied and she stopped and looked back.

"Good point… Just remember that my car is very _special_," she looked at him right in the eyes very seriously and he nodded understanding why she had put an emphasis on special, Deluka would most likely have wired it into oblivion.

She kept on going and he turned around and got changed quickly and went out the door, took the car keys off the table and went outside. Morgan heard her car start and back out of the driveway. She looked out the window as the black Mercedes SL 350 coupe drove off.

Rome and Brian walked up the stairs and were met by Deluka's twin latino goons at the front door. They were waved through and entered into the opulent, high ceilinged hall way of the Deluka compound.

"What you reckon we here for bruh?" Roman asked very quietly in Brian's ear, the blonde man just shrugged and they both pressed on into a large, beautifully decorated atrium where Vincent was on his phone. He heard them enter and waved for them to take a seat on the large burgundy red velvet lounges scattered around the room.

Vincent finished his phone call as the other two men chose a good place to sit and wait.

"I've got a little surprise for you gentlemen today, hopefully they'll both be up to your standard." Vincent smiled and started off out of the room, Brian and Rome shared a look and both got up and followed him outside and into a large garage.

Brian felt his jaw drop looking over the site before them. It was like a convention for every high powered, lush and very expensive sports car on the planet. Deluka's collection ranged from Ferrari to Aston Martin to Mazerati to Porsche.

Vincent chuckled watching the blonde man's facial expressions as his eyes moved over the mechanical masterpieces before him. Rome was just as awestruck as Brian but not showing it as much.

"Now boys, unfortunately I'm just too attached to these particular cars, but I do have what I would like you two to drive just over here on the left."

Vincent walked over to two vehicles covered with blue cloth. He pulled them both off and Brian and Rome's eyes widened at the site.

A neon green Lamborghini Mercielago and a deep blue Aston Martin Vanquish sat before them.

Rome opened his mouth but Brian was going to beat him to it this time, "don't lay a single finger on that Aston Martin or I'll cut it off, you got it bro?"

Rome just nodded and walked, mouth gaping, over to the neon green Mercielago and admired it's every curve.

"Wow," Brian just smiled and shook his head as he ran his hand over the roof of the Vanquish in awe of what he was going to be able to drive.

Vincent chuckled, "well I'm glad you weren't disappointed I had to give these two over to you boys."

"You jokin Vinnie! I don't know if I'm worthy of such a car! I feel like I'm breakin the law by just lookin at it!" Rome shook his head slowly in amazement of the car.

"I don't know what to say Vincent," Brian was still dumbstruck.

"Don't even think on it, you men are doing something for me, so why can't I just repay the favour?"

Morgan was sitting on the veranda watching the sunset at 7pm when she heard two low rumbling engines pull into the driveway. She put down her coffee cup and walked to the far end of the veranda and leant over the railings to have a look at what the noise was.

Her eyes widened when she saw the cars pulled up in the parking area they had and Brian and Rome stepping out with huge smiles on their faces.

She slipped on some black thongs and jogged over to the green Lamborghini.

"Holy shit! I feel like I got gyped only getting a Mercedes!" she said as Rome smirked Brian got out of the Aston Martin.

"Holy hell cuz," he smiled at Rome and Rome nodded and they both laughed.

"Far out.." Morgan gushed as she looked inside the Mercielago before opening the door to the Aston Martin and closing it again.

"This is so unfair!" she whined jokingly and Brian and Rome laughed and she shook her head still astonished.

"I can't believe you got a Vanquish, I hate you so much!" she shook her head at Brian and he laughed.

"Rome, are you gonna take me for a spin in that green machine or what?" she asked turning away and facing Rome.

"I'm surprised it took y'all this long!" Rome smiled and opened up the passenger side door for her and she grinned and pretty much flew into the seat as he shut the door.

Brian smirked and locked up the Vanquish and reluctantly left it as he went into the house.

10 minutes later he heard Rome and Morgan pull up outside and laughter as they both came up onto the veranda.

* * *

_**Los Angeles - 1997**_

"Janey!" Morgan cried out from her bedroom where she was stuck in front of the mirror studying herself carefully while biting on her bottom lip nervously.

Jane smirked and pulled herself up from the couch and went into Morgan's room.

"Do I look ok? Really, don't bullshit me, you would tell me straight if I looked like shit wouldn't you?" Morgan's eyes pleaded with Jane's and she smiled and nodded and Morgan sighed and Jane laughed.

"Why are you panicking so much! You look incredible! Heck if I was a guy I would want to date you!" Jane tried to make her smile and ease her nerves, it seemed to work momentarily before Morgan started chewing her bottom lip again.

"Really?" she asked almost timidly.

"YES! Now stop fussing and don't change a thing! You look perfect!" Jane pushed her away from the mirror and out into the lounge room.

The young girl was nervous to the core, she couldn't really catch up with everything that was happening in her life. For such a long time she had felt down and out; now all of a sudden she was living in a new city, had a good stable job, a nice place to live with great roommates, and now she was going out on a date with the 'dream guy' in her eyes.

Her heart was pounding when she saw the clock hit 7:30pm.

Jane was shocked her friend was so nervous about this date, she looked stunning yet she seemed to doubt herself so much. She wore her hair out in shoulder length chocolate waves, a black floral print dress which came just above her knees, black flip flops and she had a black hair band around her slender wrist.

She looked perfect, absolutely flawless; yet she was constantly fidgeting and pacing and couldn't stop looking in the mirror to check her appearance.

"This guy, Brian, you're really diggin him huh?" Jane asked slyly looking over the back of the couch as Morgan stopped her pacing in the hall and was struck with a stupor as she looked at her roommate.

"I, um, I dunno, it's kinda hard to say," she stammered and it ended with a grin which soon widened into a smile, "yeah I think I do."

Jane laughed and nodded, "I thought so!"

"Shut up," Morgan smirked and Jane threw a pillow at her and her eyes widened in shock as she laughed and pegged it back at her friend.

Brian pulled up outside of Morgan and Jane's house and breathed out, the nerves he had were tremendous; he swore he had never been so nervous in his life. He wore a dusty blue long sleeved button up shirt with white pinstripes through it and a pair of dark jeans and sneakers. He took a deep breath before mustering up enough courage to open up the car door and get out.

Morgan ran into the bathroom when she heard a car pull up outside, she nearly felt like she was going to lose her stomach for all the butterflies swarming in it. She checked over her makeup, which she'd left very natural; she was never a fan of heavy makeup, to her she would only put on as much as she needed and it was never usually that much.

Brian couldn't wait to see her, he knew once they were alone the nerves would probably settle down, at least that was what he wanted to happen.

Knocks on the door made Jane burst out laughing as Morgan peaked around the bathroom door and gave Jane the biggest puppy dog eyes she could muster and Jane just laughed and got up to answer the door.

He chewed his lip waiting for someone to answer the door, Jane skipped up the hall and Morgan watched her with a scowl on her face, she was still hiding herself in the bathroom down the hall. She quickly ducked out of view as Jane opened the door.

"What's the password?" The door opened as far as the security chain would allow and Brian could make out Jane's face.

"Oh heck, now how am I supposed to know that one?" he asked with a grin and she laughed.

"Wild guess, come on."

"Knowing you it would have something to do with damn Dawson's Creek, am I right?"

Jane laughed, "that won't get you in."

Brian sighed making sure it was over exaggerated, "ok, Dawson is my hero, now let me in!"

Jane burst out laughing and shut the door so she could undo the chain and she opened it again and he just laughed as he came in.

He took his hand out of his pocket and laughed again casually showing Jane crossed fingers.

"Ha ha, that's just hilarious," Jane said sarcastically as she shut the door.

"Yeah I thought so."

"She'll be out in a sec," Jane referred to Morgan and Brian's stomach got another large influx of winged creatures.

Morgan felt pathetic standing in the bathroom, she couldn't quite bring herself to walk out of that door yet, she was safe in there.

'Wonder what he looks like,' she thought to herself as she walked around a bit trying to psyche herself up enough to take those first steps out into the open.

'Really hot no doubt.'

'Shit just go out there you pussy,' she scalded herself.

She stood just inside the door still hidden from his view out in the hall. Taking deep breaths she counted down in her head from 3 and on 1 she shoved herself out into the hall.

His eyes hit her and he felt his jaw drop. He quickly put himself back in check and couldn't help but smile as soon as he saw her, they made eye contact and she returned it and she felt her nerves grow and then lessen a bit.

'God she is so gorgeous,' he thought as she came up to where he and Jane were standing.

"Hi," she smiled.

"Hi," he replied taking her in.

"So where are we goin?" Morgan asked and he shook his head.

"You'll find out when we get there."

"Oh come on!" she whined and he shook his head.

"Nope." He stood his ground and smirked and she scrunched up her face and broke it with a smile.

"See you guys later on, try not to get into any gun fights or anything," Jane called out just as they were heading out the door.

"I left mine at home." Brian shrugged.

"Mine's still in my room," Morgan smiled before Jane waved and Morgan shut the door behind her and Brian.

Morgan burst out laughing when she saw the car Brian was driving.

"How the hell did you score the Le Baron?"

"My car completely shit itself on the way home from work this afternoon, believe me I'm paying for this."

Morgan smiled to herself as he opened up the door for her.

He jogged around to his side and got in.

"How exactly?"

"Dish, trash and cleaning duty for a week," he smirked and looked over at her and she shook her head.

"He's real touchy about the Le Baron isn't he?"

"You have no idea…"

She smiled looking out the window as they went along one of the freeways towards Venice beach.

"You're sprung O'Conner."

He laughed, "it's trashy, but fun," he looked over and she nodded and he smiled.

She just shook her head and looked around, the lights getting brighter and the large Ferris Wheel becoming bigger and bigger as they approached, Brian scanned around trying to find them a parking space. He managed to score one and tore in before it could be taken.

Even at 7 o'clock at night the beach was swarming with every class of people you could possibly imagine. Morgan laughed when she saw a manic priest crying out to a group of young girls they needed to make their paths back to Jesus, not to be tainted by Satan's temptations.

"Satan's temptations, is that the mini-skirts, or the fishnets and knee high leather boots?" Morgan said aloud and Brian laughed and shook his head.

"Could be something to do with both, or maybe the fact that one of them tried to put it on him."

She chewed her lip a little and smirked, "they never learn."

"So before I have to get all kung-fu on your butt will you tell me where we're going?" Morgan was jogging across the road with him.

"You'll find out in like… 10 seconds," he smiled and pointed to a little restaurant out of the way from the main 'drag' on Venice Beach.

* * *

**_Miami - 2003_**

"So what's up today Bullit?" Suki asked sitting down at the table opposite him in the late afternoon.

"Nothin, why?"

"Havin girl troubles?"

Brian laughed, "Why does everyone automatically assume that with me?"

"Cos we're always right, so what's happenin?" Suki laughed but then became serious.

"Agh I dunno… Stuff with an ex is just getting to me right now."

"Who, Monica?"

"No, no Monica's a current; not an ex," he knew he'd get a poor reception as soon as he'd made that comment.

"Oh Brian please! You cannot be serious!"

"What, she's alright."

"Alright! No way, damn I can't even look at you the same way now!" Suki was baiting him up; she didn't like Monica at all and couldn't stand having a cop sniffing around the business, but she knew that Monica was no good for Brian in the first place.

Brian just shook his head with a smirk before losing it again and resting his head in his hands.

"Nah, it's this girl, I mean, she's not _any _girl, she was basically ya know the love of my life so far I guess. She's kinda just come back into my life and it's hard." he looked up at Suki as he spoke.

She was taken aback, she was expecting to be hearing about the latest fling that everyone already knew about, but it sounded like she was going to hear about something that no one else had, his body language was suggesting that he hadn't spoken about whoever she was to anyone for a long time.

"I didn't even know she came down here, I mean I thought she would still be in LA or she would've gone to New York with her dad, or back to Seattle, anywhere but here.."

He sighed and rubbed his eyes before burying his face back into the palms of his hands.

Suki found herself still in a state of shock. Whatever this was, and however she was had really affected him.

He told her the entire tale, didn't miss a single detail.

She sat open jawed at the end.

"Woah, Bullit, if you really feel that way then why don't you just ditch that rent a cop tart and get yo woman back!" Suki smacked him upside the head catching the blonde man completely off guard.

"God, Sukes you have absolutely no idea how much I wish, I really wish I could just do that."

He let out a deep sigh and Suki came around and gave him a hug and he returned it.

"Bullit, you know that I'm always here for ya aiight, anytime ya wanna talk."

"Thanks a lot Suke."

* * *

Brian jogged up the steps and heard soft music playing inside as he turned the knob and the door opened with the force he applied. He recognised the sounds of Southern Girl by Incubus and smiled, it always seemed to remind him of her, he couldn't really place it; but memories of their 'good ol' days' would always seem to come back with the melody of that song.

It mainly just reminded him of coming home to her every day, the feelings that used to course through him every single time he would wrap his arms around her and rest his head on her shoulder; losing himself in the smooth skin of her neck, how his mind would cloud up with the scent of the perfume she was wearing; how the weight of the day would evaporate from his shoulders in that very moment.

The blonde man knew he could never find that sort of love from anyone ever again. He knew it had to be impossible for him to ever feel like that over another girl ever again for as long as he lived.

Morgan tasted the pasta sauce she was making from the end of a spoon as the door opened and Brian came in.

The aroma of the sauce she was making hit him like a bombshell, he hadn't smelt that beautiful smell for many years. He used to absolutely love it when she made that pasta.

"Oh great, listen, I hope I didn't make you feel like you had to cook me a whole meal because you stole my toast the other morning, but since you've already pretty much finished; I guess all I can say is thank you," he smirked as he stood in the hallway looking into the kitchen.

Morgan let out a sarcastic laugh, "you'd be lucky if you even got to taste the leftovers Brian."

"Yeah see I thought you'd say that, can't blame me for trying though."

"Yeah I can."

He just smirked and shook his head as he turned away and kept going into his room and flopped on his bed.

She just laughed and turned off the boiling pasta and placed it into the colander to drain.

* * *

The next night Brian found himself home alone, everyone had gone out. Rome, Morgan and Monica had gone out to supposedly 'paint the town'. Brian just hadn't felt up to it, ever since the evening before he just felt like he needed some time alone just to relax and breathe.

He showered and got dressed back into a pair of baggy deep blue cargoes, the hem of his white cotton boxers just showing above the hem of the cargo pants. He didn't bother putting a shirt back on, it was quite a humid evening, the humidity even cutting through the air conditioning inside.

Walking out into the hall the jet of cool air hit him and blasted away the heavy, steamy air from the bathroom. He switched on the television and wandered over to the fridge.

As he looked through for something to have for dinner he saw a sealed blue container pushed behind 2 cans of Coke and pulled it out to see what was in it. Pulling away the lid he was surprised to find it full with her pasta. He grinned and shut the fridge door, then placed the container into the microwave and pulled out a bowl from the cupboard as he waited for it to heat up.

Brian sat on the couch and kicked his legs out as he settled back into it and changed the channel on the television before he took a mouthful of the freshly heated pasta and throwing his head back with his eyes closed, almost as if that tiny bite was sheer ecstasy.

* * *

He remembered the last time he had eaten that, it was the last really 'happy' time he had came home during the case. He knew she hadn't been expecting him that night, he knew he really should have stayed at Harry's, but he just needed to see her, needed to sleep in his own bed again with the woman that he loved more than anything in the world next to him. Wake up in his own home and not have to worry about anything.

Morgan pulled out a spare container from the cupboard to put some of the pasta she had made for dinner into for Brian whenever he was going to come home from the case, she made the normal amount she always did for both of them because he was coming home for the weekend.

She couldn't hear the door opening over the sounds of the radio in the kitchen, she swayed along with the sound of Tracy Chapman – For My Lover and hummed along as she tidied up the saucepans she had used and got her own dinner together and finished putting Brian's into the container and leaving it on the bench to cool down for a bit before she put it into the freezer.

He couldn't contain the smile he had as he opened up the front door and carefully shut it behind him and heard noises coming from the kitchen as he placed his bag inside the bedroom door and looked around. He hadn't been in their house for nearly a month, Bilkins and Tanner had gone back on their word of letting him come home regularly, he wasn't even supposed to be there then.

Morgan put some salt onto her pasta and then went to the fridge and pulled out the bottle of juice and a glass from the top shelf.

She stood at the sink filling the used saucepans up with water as Brian snuck in and wrapped his arms around her from behind and rested his head on the base of her neck.

Morgan stiffened up immediately when she felt someone put their arms around her, but she burst out in shock as she turned around in his arms and Brian smiled at her.

"Oh my god! I can't believe you're here! What are you doing here, how'd you convince them to let you come earlier?" she asked in between very happy kisses.

He laughed, "I have missed you so much. Uh, well I'm probably not supposed to be here, but I couldn't stand it anymore, I had to come home to you. God you don't know how much I've missed you Mor."

"Yes! I definitely came at the right time," he smiled as she rolled her eyes and laughed taking her bowl and glass of juice into the lounge. He opened up the container and put the pasta she had left for him into a bowl and gotten a glass of water and a fork and followed her out.

* * *

He finished washing up his plates and walked out onto the veranda and slumped down into one of the deck chairs and looked out at the beach; a young couple that appeared all of 13 walked along holding hands, another older couple were jogging and there were still a few stray swimmers out in the water here and there. The sun was just bordering on setting as the clock struck 7:45pm.

Rome finished sending Brian a text message and flipped his phone back into his pocket; still hoping to talk his friend into coming out.

'cuz you gotsta come out! The oasis is massive!' Brian read the text message and just shook his head and went to reply.

'sorry bro, just not up to it tonight – just gonna chill, don't go crazy aiight.'

Rome shrugged and grinned at the last remark his friend had sent in the last text.

"He coming or what?" Monica asked loudly over the noise of the bustling street and the music from inside the club.

"Nah, I give up yo," Rome replied back and Monica just shrugged a reply and kept scanning around.

Morgan chewed her lip and kept her back against the wall.

She knew something was wrong, something he was really hiding, something that just felt to her like it wasn't one his quick fix problems; she hated not knowing, but also felt it wasn't her place anymore to ask. She also knew him and sometimes he just needed the time alone to do like he said and just chill and mellow out for a while.

That was always something they had in common, she loved that time they would spend together, no words exchanged, and they wouldn't communicate in any way at all, just be together and relax.

Some of that time spent like that provided a few of the greatest memories she had of their time together.

The night pressed on and the 3 dragged themselves through the door at midnight into the dark house.


	13. Going Back Around

Hi guys.

So sorry for the lack of updates; but I can't really apply myself to this anymore. I'm in year 12 now D and things are very hectic with work, horse sales, school and other stuff. I will try my best with this story to complete it, but the rewrite of OTI I doubt I will be able to do.

Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews, I really only do this for you guys )

* * *

Ben Forrester eagerly awaited the morning as he lay in bed in the safe house in Miami. He was praying she knew that it was all just a hoax; he couldn't bear the thought of what she might go through had she not.

The ceiling danced whimsically with lights from passing traffic and the windowsill glowed from the beautiful full silver moon hanging in the sky acting as a beacon of light over the dark streets.

Everything in the house was quiet. It almost felt like the first line of 'The Night Before Christmas'. _Twas the night before Christmas; when all through the house not a creature was stirring not even a mouse. _He smiled knowing she loved that story.

Another car drove past with a particularly loud rumble and Ben cleared his throat and settled back down. Knowing he should be fast asleep but he just couldn't bring himself to do it; nervous energy coursed through his veins.

With everything he had weighing on his shoulders at that point in time he felt much older than the 44 years he actually was. There was so much more his daughter needed to know; to learn about her past. So many things she had yet to find out; things that could and would change her life forever. He had wished so many times to be able to find the words to tell her; to find the time.

It was never right; he had gotten her back years ago; yet it was still not right.

The day they had finally met always stuck in his memory. The soft, timid voice that seemed to constantly catch in her throat, the awkward smile she tried to hide and the fact that she never let go of her boyfriend's hand during their entire meeting.

They had both come to New York as her boyfriend was working and she had some spare leave time she had been building up. The three of them had all met up at a small café in Greenwich Village on a rainy November day.

Ben had never felt as nervous as he had sitting in that booth waiting for them to arrive. As soon as he saw her he knew; he didn't need to remember she had said she would be coming with her boyfriend, and that she had long dark hair, or he was tall with blonde hair, or that she would be wearing a thick rainbow coloured scarf. The second he laid eyes on her as he looked out the window he knew she was his daughter.

He could have found her much earlier and much easier than she had found him, but that was always something he thought best just to leave up to her. He wanted her to make her own decisions and if she wanted to try and find him and have him back in her life; than she would. He never tried to stop her, and he was hoping she hadn't tried to stop him.

Ben Forrester was someone who liked the cards laid out on the table right in front of him; he wasn't the kind who liked to leave things up to chance; carpe diem was what he lived his life by and sometimes for all the wrong reasons. He had hated the long waiting game that had to be played; but he knew what he was doing was for his daughter and that was all that had mattered to him.

Meeting after meeting over those few days got easier and easier. After the 2nd one she was ready to come by herself; partly by choice and also the fact that her friend was busy working and he couldn't get the time off anymore. In ways it was probably a good thing that it was just the two of them; he liked the boy, he couldn't have imagined someone better for his little girl; but he felt like he needed the time to be with her just by herself and try to get to know her slowly and do things the right way.

He was sad the day she left; but he had a good feeling.

Then; as he lay in bed in the silent house he prayed that the good feeling would still be there when she realised he was ok.

Brian sat on the edge of his bed the next morning after he'd had a shower still damp; his wet hair leaving spots of water on the wooden floor boards below him. He rubbed his face and stood up rummaging through his draws for some clean clothes to change into as the simple green towel wrapped around his waist wasn't really suitable to go out in. Not even suitable to leave his bedroom in really.

He eventually found a navy blue Ezekiel t shirt and a pair of baggy jeans and got changed and rubbed the towel over his hair to dry it off, he brushed his fingers through it quickly and left it at that.

As he left the so called safety of his humble abode he nearly had a collision with Monica.

They parted ways again with a smile, he brushed her arm on his way past and she wondered if this was one of those signals she had been waiting to receive from him again for a while.

Trying to not let it affect her she kept on her way to the bathroom.

Morgan jogged out of her bedroom and waved to Rome on her way out the door hurriedly.

"What's up for you today bruh?" Brian asked Rome as he bit into an apple.

"We gots to see Vinnie at his pretty soon; but after that I dunno wanna go downtown and cruise for a while?"

"Hell yeah."

Rome was met with a smirk from his friend and he nodded in agreement and they both laughed.

--

Ramirez cleared his throat and proceeded to lightly rap his knuckles on the oak door, "Agent Forrester are you ready to go?"

Ben looked up from his suitcase briefly before replying to the young Special Agent's question and did a final check of the room to make sure it was exactly as he had found it and that he also hadn't left anything there.

The conversation between the young FBI agent and himself seemed to be lacking slightly on the way to the private jet hangar. He felt as if the younger man felt inferior or perhaps felt some sort of awe or admiration for the CIA agent with him.

"I'm sorry if this sounds completely stupid sir, but what's it like being CIA?" Ramirez asked timidly.

Ben smiled, he had a feeling that this may have been coming; ever since the first time he'd been introduced to the young Hispanic agent, and the way he had reacted upon hearing of Ben's status within the CIA, "Hard to say exactly, much of a muchness to the FBI, however more dangerous, we handle more sensitive and volatile information, and work on a more international scale upon President request. But other than that it's much the same as what you're doing."

Ramirez nodded and laughed. "I'm sorry sir, it's just that it's always been a dream of mine to become CIA when I'm qualified enough, and to finally meet someone such as you; well it's a great honour to say the least."

Ben just shook his head and smirked, "Well let me tell ya son, I really wish you all the best for it, because from what I've heard, and from what you've displayed to me already in this short period of time that we've been acquainted, you have a very bright future ahead of you."

Ramirez felt like he was turning all shades of crimson at those remarks, hearing someone like Agent Ben Forrester saying that he, the only son of 5 from his single parent family to have ever finished high school, and also to go onto University and further into the FBI academy, had a very bright future felt like being handed an obscenely large, and very promising lottery cheque by Ed McMann.

--

Morgan strode along the opulent halls of the compound that morning just as she had for the better part of the nearly 6 months that she had been working undercover. Still just as eager to make what they were all there for a highly successful mission.

Vincent looked up from his desk with the rather small, almost beady steely grey eyes and the usual slimy, yet somehow not, grin to her.

Then, as usual followed the cheery greeting, and then the compliment on some aspect of her outfit, or any other feature of her appearance that may have changed; even in the slightest, and then, the weather, there was always a comment on the weather.

"Ah good morning my lovely girl, you're looking stunning today."

"Good morning Vincent! Thankyou very much, and as are you of course." She smiled obediently and continued to his desk closing the door behind her.

He trusted her fully now, she was exactly where she needed to be, she had become the hawk, ready to strike now in a matter of weeks.

The day had gone smoothly, and as she made the drive home she was reminded once more of the check up with Bilkins, but then also the fact that they would most likely be wanted to run tests on her, Rome, Brian and Monica just to be sure that the case wasn't in jeopardy at all and that all involved were of sound mind and not hiding anything at all.

She was ready for the mind games she would be going through, the polygraphs, and the analytical talks. For some odd reason she always encountered slight nerves before the tests began, the thoughts that perhaps one day she would encounter a check up and for one reason or another there would be reasoning that she could not keep her job.

She walked through the door into the noisy house, Rome and Brian sitting at the table, the television going and Monica in the kitchen.

She dreaded the trip to the house, because she knew that Rome and Monica had been told to travel in a pair, and that then meant that she and Brian were stuck together. But unfortunately it couldn't be changed as both Bilkins, Markham and at the time Morgan and Monica had all agreed that when travelling as they were to always keep it agent and officer for safety reasons. As Brian and Rome were only operating as Special Officer and not agent level they needed to be split between Morgan and Monica; and at the time Morgan thought she would be a-ok and be paired with Rome…

Mobile phones were all taken out of pockets or handbags and left around the house in a much planned but hopefully casual looking fashion. Any other devices that had the capabilities of connectivity were also left lying around as the four left the house.

Brian got into his car and started the engine waiting for her to hurry up and get in. He didn't like the idea of the drive with her; he could already foresee that this one was gonna be a bitch as compared to the others.

He slumped in the leather bucket seat of the Vanquish he had been given only a few weeks before and watched her. So many memories flooded through as he blinked and caught her smile, as her laugh floated softly past his ears, the soft scent of her perfume drifting ever so slightly to his nostrils.

**_Los Angeles November 14th 1997_**

He watched her silently from his bed as she sat curled up on his windowsill seat, her knees pulled up, and her ankles crossed over each other; softly tracing the sliding rain drops on the cold glass with her finger tips. She had an oversized jumper of his on, and a pair of black calf length Capri pants on. Her chocolate brown waves left to flow, with 2 side sections loosely pulled back and tied only leaving wisps of hair to fall around her cheeks.

Brian made a small noise and she turned her attention to him. "Hey sleepy," she smiled gently as he smiled back and shifted so he was leaning on his elbows.

"What'cha doin?" he asked slightly groggily.

"Just watching the rain." She replied as she returned her focus to the pouring rain outside again for a few short moments and he smiled softly watching her.

"Gosh I haven't done this for so many years…" she trailed off quickly glancing at him and back to the rain outside.

"Why not?"

"I dunno, I guess I just.. I guess I had to grow up a lot faster than the usual person."

"You know something, you amaze me," he told her honestly and she turned and tilted her head as she looked at him with a weird, confused grin.

"What do you mean?"

"Everything you've achieved, I mean where you are now, and how hard it must have been to get here. Shit I know how stupid that must have sounded, but it's the truth, badly worded, but the truth all the same."

She laughed and he joined her, but before too long their very comfortable seriousness had returned as she went to reply, "I know so many more people out there who've done it worse off than I have, I feel pretty damn lucky that I am where I am, here in LA, a roof over my head, and also here with you."

"Me too," They smiled at each other and a dull roll of thunder cried off breaking the near silence in the house.

After that they stayed in their comfortable silence for a little while longer, and he lay back down and pulled his pillow under his chin so he could watch her and she was looking out at the rain completely unawares of anything that he was doing at the time.

Brian knew that he felt very strongly about her, he knew this relationship was very different; she was very different from any girl he had ever dated before. They'd been together **_3_** months and still hadn't 'done it', and he knew that she wasn't comfortable about it, so nothing would happen until she was. That was one of the more easily defined differences about her, with every girlfriend from 16 to 20 it had never taken him long to get them into bed and had they refused he probably wouldn't have waited around anyway.

But for her he felt like he would do anything. He felt like he didn't deserve her sometimes. He felt so many things about her; and had so much respect for her also.

"Have you ever just wanted to dance around in the rain?" she broke his thoughts and he furrowed his brow slightly.

"Uh, probably not for a long time."

Morgan sniffed and grinned as she looked out at the rain again, the glistening green grass of the front lawn outside his window, the neighbours cars all with rain running down their doors, off their rooves and dripping in wild ribbons onto the asphalt and the guttering flowing like inner city rivers into the storm water drains running underneath the ground.

"God it's just so beautiful."

Brian sprung off the bed all of a sudden and strode over to her and grabbed her hand.

"Come on," he pulled her up and she looked at him oddly.

"Where are we going?"

"We're going out there and dancing in the rain," he replied trying to lead her along with him.

"What! Brian wait, we can't!"

"Why can't we?" He asked her trying not to laugh at the look of utter shock on her face.

"Because! Everybody will see!"

"I don't care, come on Mor, just let go and come dance with me."

He pulled her out of his room and into the hall and out into the pouring rain before she could utter a protest.

The rain was really bucketing down, and as soon as he pulled her out of the door and out into it she could have sworn that she was drenched through completely in less than 5 seconds.

"I can't believe we're doing this! Your neighbours are gonna think we're bloody insane!"

"So what, I don't care what they think, think about it like this, it's just you and me out here no one else."

Before he could say anything else she cut him off with her lips on his and he kissed her back as they slowly danced around in a circle on the front lawn, the rain pouring down on them and soaking them through.

They broke apart and he took her right hand in his and she put her left around his neck, he put his around her waist as they danced around more.

She couldn't help but burst out laughing at the sheer thought of what they must have looked like to the neighbours.

"You know they're gonna have you committed after this don't you?"

Brian laughed and nodded, "yeah probably, but I'm afraid you'll be going down with me."

She laughed and shook her head before he quickly spun her out and brought her back in and pulled her closer.

"Probably should've organised some sort of music before we came out here," he smirked as they broke their lips apart and she laughed softly.

"Nah wouldn't be the same with music I don't think."

---

She was trying to get herself prepared for it. It felt strange that it had to be like that between them; she couldn't even remember why it started. But she had seemed to feel like that ever since that night when he had first came back into her life. There had been an uncontrollable anger there that she just couldn't seem to understand enough to shake.

Brian took a deep breath as Monica and Rome drove off and waited for her to get in next to him.

Morgan sat in the passenger's seat and chewed on her thumbnail, absentmindedly staring out of the window; Brian looking straight ahead occasionally catching a glance of her as he checked mirrors.

Rubbing her arms she looked around more and sighed before fixing the hem of her shirt and smoothing her trouser legs.

Brian was getting more than fed up with her attitude, so he thought he would test the water.

"Seen any good movies lately?"

She whipped her head around immediately with a less than happy expression on her face.

"Don't even start with that bullshit, but no I haven't; and yourself?"

"No." He ended it simply.

The green Mercilago was just ahead now as they wound themselves through the slower moving traffic. He couldn't wait to get out and get away from her. For once in his life he couldn't wait to be as far away from her as possible.

He was fed up with being hung up on her and getting treated lower than dirt in return, it almost felt uplifting as he realised he had finally hit the best turning point in his entire life; for the first time he really felt the 'moving on' feelings, not thought he felt, but knew he felt them.

Breathing a sigh of relief and squeezing the wheel he sat back and took a deep breath.

Morgan was down in the dumps, she hated the tension, but more so than that the need that there seemed to be for it.

He pulled up at the wharf and just about leapt out of the car, her brow furrowed as she slowly opened the door and got up and out of the little car, shutting the door behind her and walking off.

She quickly got to Rome and Monica and tried her best to ignore Brian completely as they all boarded the Fairy.

Ben's stomach was getting worse as he quickly glanced at the time while in conversation with Bilkins and another Customs agent by the name of Dunn. He knew that the crunch time was coming in the next 10 minutes, and it was just figuring out the right plan of attack so to speak that would work the best.

Brian leant back on the rails completely tuned out of the conversation of those around him and deep in thought again; trying to come to a compromise. He knew today had brought him a pivotal turning point, and he needed to embrace what had been given to him and use it to it's full potential.

He was always going to love her, that was always a given; they had meant too much to each other for that to ever change, and deep down he knew she was mutual no matter how much she said otherwise. But, the painful truth of the matter was, he could love her, be in love with her as much as he wanted and she would never want a part of that again, which was the point his compromise came into effect.

Yes he could love her, he had to learn not to be in love with her however, and from there he was on his own.

The four years he had with her were the best years of his entire life, and he knew not to forget that, but to know that it was just four years, what they had was real, there was an amazing bond there, but that was three years ago and it was over with.

He was awoken from the planning process unfolding in his head by Rome snapping his fingers in front of his eyes.

"Do that again and next time you try snappin em it will be a lot harder bro."

Rome laughed, "Yeah like to see you try white boy."

"Oh yeah?" Brian nodded and pulled his friend into a head lock as they struggled laughing off the Fairy and onto the wharf, Morgan and Monica going on ahead.

"Looking forward to this afternoon?" Morgan smirked as she and Monica left the boys behind and kept going.

"Oh heck yeah, there's nothing like a brain drain FBI style."

They both laughed and Morgan was subconsciously rubbing her forehead, Monica smiled, "getting prepared already?"

She pulled her hand away and laughed, "nah actually I have a headache coming on I think."

Morgan picked up the pace as she got to the front gate; the two men behind them had gone reasonably quiet and followed the girls in front.

The front door of the house lay dormant until the moment Morgan got to within a metre of it, when it swung open quite fast to reveal Josh standing on the other side.

"Yo Forrester!" Josh called out getting her attention and her eyes widened and she heard herself squealing with excitement as she ran to the open door and they hugged.

"Oh my god Josh what are you doin here?"

"Just helping out Miss Thang, how are ya?" he smiled as he put his arm around her and she put hers around him and shook her head in disbelief as they continued inside not to hold the others up.

"Ah, well I'm kinda average really, but feeling so much better now."

Josh laughed and gave her another hug.

Watching another man wrapping his arms around her broke Brian's heart in two all over again; yet another 'resolution' completely out the window.

'You are past pathetic now.' He told himself.

'New record dumbass,' was further added on.

--

Ben paced as he heard the commotion at the door. His throat had acquired quite an uncomfortable lump and his palms were still rather moist.

He placed himself with the best casual-air he could muster leaning against a wall just out of view from the main entrance into the lounge room. He couldn't spring himself onto her like that; he may have only known her for 5 years and 2 months of her life, but in that time they had grown to be very close and he was praying that he would never have to lose her again.

Morgan entered behind Josh and looked around the room, expecting to see agents swarming, however she only saw 3 new people there, unless Bilkins had them all hiding elsewhere.

Just as Brian and Rome came into the same room Josh looked over at Morgan and put his hand on her arm and said something quietly into her ear and she looked at him oddly and followed him down the few stairs and behind the partition wall.

Brian watched as they both disappeared and decided to make himself comfortable on the lounge while waiting for Bilkins.

'Morgan, there's something very important that we need to discuss with you, please don't freak out on me.'

Ben heard footsteps coming towards him, his hearing discerning the pair, one was rather slow, the other moderate and increasing very fast.

He turned and saw her standing there; her eyes trained on him with an unreadable expression.

A million things passed through her mind as she saw who was behind the wall. Disbelief was coursing through her, she thought that this could not possibly be true, her father died, she was told he had a sudden heart attack; however she had a gut feeling that something just wasn't right; he was just too young. Was she just confusing someone else for him, perhaps there was a simple similarity that her mind was just projecting out?

"How's the heart holding up?" she murmured, her lips only just allowing enough sound to be audible to him to come forth.

"Good kid, good."

Her façade fell apart and she ran up to him and he put his arms around her tightly.

"Dad?" she whimpered as the tears started falling down her cheeks and he smiled and rested his head on hers.

"Sure is kiddo."

"You didn't seem as surprised as I thought you would be."

"I had a gut feeling something wasn't quite right, and I guess I just really went into denial… Oh god I'm so happy you're alright."

Ben laughed and smoothed his daughter's hair down and kissed her forehead, "how are you holding up?"

"I'm ok, today has really helped me," she smiled as she wiped a few tears from her eyes.

Josh walked away from them and felt relief that his partner and friend was all right.

He noticed Brian and Rome sitting on the lounge casually talking and he walked over to them.

Brian looked up from the floor and nodded to Rome that they were being approached. He stood up and held out his hand to Josh.

"Brian O'Conner," he introduced himself.

Josh nodded, "Josh Klein."

"Ritchie Cunningham," Rome smirked and Brian shook his head and sniffed as he sat back down again and Josh burst out laughing.

"Josh Klein."

"So yo' you're Morgan's partner aren't you?" Rome proceeded with his questioning.

"Yeah, you're Roman Pearce right?"

Rome smirked and nodded.

When they had been there for an hour and Morgan was still a no-show and Bilkins had been there with them for 45 minutes Rome was wondering what had happened to her.

"Yo Bilkins, where's Forrester?"

"She's taking care of some personal things." Bilkins answered rather distantly.

Morgan and Ben had sat down outside at a table a little way from the house underneath a small grove of palm trees.

"So I hear Brian's on the case too, how's that going?"

Morgan looked at her father and shrugged, "I honestly don't know… it's all pretty damn screwed up. I guess we're not fighting all the time if that's what you're meaning?"

He shook his head with a small laugh, "what's going on in there kid you don't look yourself."

"I don't know, I mean I was so nervous over this case. I've never felt this bad starting something ever before in my life; and having him around really isn't helping matters. But, it's not his problem, the way we are; I caused this. I can't fix it. Dad, when I thought you were gone he tried so hard to be a friend and all I did was yell at him, there's been so many times when all he's done is tried to help and all I can seem to do is to push him away as fast as I possibly can.

I don't know… maybe I'm scared that if I let my guard down again all I'm going to get is hurt. Then, I don't even know why I feel like that; why am I so worried about this, I'm thinking like he's going to want to actually try and be with me again after all the shitty stuff I've done to him since he's been back."

Morgan rested her head on her dad's shoulder and he put his arm around her.

"You've got me more confused than you are." He tried his best to get her to smile again.

She laughed and gave him a light shove.

"Listen you; I've been dead for 3 months now don't pick on me ok!" he cautioned her and she smiled and gave him another hug.

"Come on, you've gotta meet Rome," she pulled him up.

"How do you want me to address young Mr O'Conner in there?"

"Anyway you want to," she said softly.

"Why did you kids not tell anyone anyway?"

"Easier that way, I guess it was just a thing that we both wanted to leave alone rather than have to dredge everything up again and like he said, it's our business and no one else's so that's just how it is."

Ben nodded and followed her back inside.

--

"Where's Monica?" Rome asked as he and Brian were sitting in the lounge room later that night waiting for Morgan to finish a phone call.

Brian shrugged and stood up just as Morgan came down the hall and turned off the light.

"So where are we going?"

"Out."

"Dear Lord! We are?" Morgan's mouth dropped and she shook her head with mock shock.

Rome just smirked and gave her the finger.

She laughed and put her phone into the small handbag she had with her and got her keys from the counter top in the kitchen.

Rome watched a group of young girls slinking into the already fairly well crowded club, Brian sitting near him and staring at the small water ringed table in front of them. Morgan had been up at the bar getting a new drink for the last 10 minutes.

Monica was out with a new flame, Brian in a way felt jealous; because now no one was paying any attention to him whatsoever. Without her constant flirtation his conversation was generally now with just Rome. The tension was still present between Morgan and himself and he was becoming more and more indifferent to her constant moods with him.

The bar was buzzing with conversation and loud music as she tapped her fingernails on the glass counter top waiting for her Cosmopolitan. She couldn't keep that afternoon out of her thoughts; her father, their conversation; Brian.

She looked over towards the table she shared with he and Rome through the ever increasing clubbing cohort and saw he was just sitting back staring at the table in front of them, Rome talking to a group of scantily clad girls.

"Miss," the bartender lightly touched her shoulder, after 3 attempts at gaining her attention verbally had failed.

She jolted back into herself again and smiled and took her drink, lightly sipping on the rim of the glass.

He was good sometimes, then at other times he started staring off into another world and that was when she felt worried; he was never like that before, he was the one usually bringing her back from day dreams.

It was either a mix of hyper activity and inquisitiveness, or just the factors from his past had rendered him to feel like he needed to be completely alert all the time made him the way he was; but the way he was acting now couldn't have been more out of character, and for how long he'd been like that she was surprised Rome had never even been suspicious.

But then she reminded herself of the rather large differences in the relationships that both she and Rome had had with Brian in the past, and he probably would have no idea about all of his little quirks and habits and other things that only his mother and herself would know.

Brian looked up and saw Morgan coming back over and he propped himself up a little higher in the one seater he was in.

She sat down on the couch next to Rome and he put his arm around her shoulder and she laughed.

"Girl, when are they gonna play our song?" he whined, she could smell the hints of rum on his breath.

"Hell I don't know but it's taking long enough."

Just as she finished her drink the DJ spun, Jermaine Dupri – Gotta Getcha.

"OH FINALLY!" they said in unison as Brian just shook his head and smirked as he looked the other way at a group of people not too far away.

Morgan and Rome were out on the floor bumping and grinding and laughing as they danced; Brian sat and watched, his eyes never once leaving her. He was glad she was smiling and genuinely happy again. Her father was back and he knew that had to mean something absolutely extraordinary for her, then seeing her friend.

He worried that the pressure of what they were doing might have been affecting her; she had been undercover for nearly 6 months and was under the most intense scrutiny from all parties involved in their existence on the island.

But watching her on the floor with Rome and having such a great time he felt relieved, and 'maybe she's doing a lot better than I thought'.

They both came back and Brian stood up, "Listen, I'm gonna go somewhere a bit less rowdy, this place just ain't my scene brah."

"Aiight, see y'all at home then." Rome took a gulp of the rum he had left on the table as Morgan got caught up talking to some girls she knew a few metres away from them.

Brian gave her one last glance as he walked out of the brimming night club, and out onto the smoky hustle and bustle of late night crowds. The roads slow moving with small bicycle taxis, Peugeots and other small makes of European car.

The sidewalks were overflowing with club goers such as himself, hustlers peddling their wares, scantily clad hookers of many nationalities, food vendors and other touristy type crowds and the late night café crew.

The scene he was in reminded him of Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, mixed with what downtown Bangkok or Phuket Thailand must be like.

He walked down the street, hands in the pockets of his sand blasted denim jeans, white button up shirt just sitting above them.

He walked into a small pub and took a seat up at the bar, ordered himself a beer and a tequila shot and observed the new space.

3 beers later he felt a very small buzz, and decided it was time to get something to eat and head back to the villa and call it a night.

He left a tip next to his empty glass and got up and made his way back onto the overcrowded main drag once again.

--

Morgan noticed Brian's absence and couldn't help but feel that maybe it was something to do with her; every time she was near now it appeared he wanted to be farther, and she couldn't blame him.

Rome sat back down with 2 girls at their table; Morgan smiled weakly and stood up brushing her skirt as she did so.

"Romey, I'm gonna head home now ok, don't worry about me I'll grab a Taxi. You just have fun," she gave him a wink and he tilted his glass to her as she wound out through the crowd.

--

Brian didn't feel like going back home at the minute. The buzz the alcohol was giving him was making him feel like he was more alive than he actually was. It wasn't tipsy; it was cruising and great.

She wound through the crowd; immediately throwing away the taxi cab theory. Brian was on her mind, he was on her mind on a much different level and if she didn't soon stop she may have found herself on a doorstep; in a bedroom with someone else who knew their secret, and trying her hardest not to say the wrong name.

It had happened.

Only once, but quite often it was on the tip of her tongue.

The first bend in the path she was on led her to a hot dog vendor; her stomach seemed to respond in kind.

Brian walked back along the street towards the club they he had came from. He was sick of leaving all the time; it was usually because he felt like he didn't feel he should be there, but this time, he had no clue.

The line was starting to drop off, and inch forward little by little. She was growing bored, impatient and hungrier by the second, but knew that she couldn't hold on until she got home.

She never got sick of him, all the time they were together; she had never once became bored with what they had.

Even after they'd unlocked 99 out of 100 parts of their relationship she had never become bored. There was always something different. Morgan knew that he really had no idea how much he gave her, he gave her a family, he gave her love, he gave her a new life, and he changed her forever.

She missed him more than anything. It killed her to be living under the same roof again and not be able to do the things they used to.

It killed her to be living under the same roof again but sleeping in different beds; leading separate lives.

There was a lot he could never tell her; so many thoughts and feelings he'd had that were just too personal. It scared him that he could remember everything. Before the case he was scared because he would go to bed at night and he would try his hardest to remember the little things, the big things. He felt them slipping away from him and it crushed him deeply.

Time was a bitch to them.

'I can't go back,' she thought to herself.

'Why are you in my mind every time I'm alone?'

Brian excused himself as he was forced to push through an older couple going over what seemed like ten maps at once; the place wasn't that big and it was nearly 12 am.

He smirked watching her shifting her stance and he knew she was growing extremely impatient waiting in a line for hotdogs.

"It's a virtue you know."

Morgan's brow furrowed and her face contorted into a shocked and slightly freaked out expression until she saw him standing there next to her.

"That is truly wonderful, but guess what."

"What?"

"I'm so hungry right now I could not give a flying rat's ass."

Brian burst out laughing, "flying rat's ass." He said in a mocking voice.

Her lips moved into a smile as she turned her head to face him, "do not start with me right now I'm far too hungry alright!"

People passed by and the line became shorter and shorter; still wondering when she would talk, Brian looked around trying to take his mind off things and pass the time.

"So what brings you here?"

"What I can't be hungry?"

"No." Morgan looked at him waiting for some sort of reaction.

He just shook his head and yawned.

"What if I said I was trying to be half decent and keep you company here, but also because I was extremely hungry?"

She furrowed her brow with mock concentration, "I'm too hungry to protest."

He threw his arms up, "thank Christ for that."

Morgan found herself just laughing.

She yawned and stretched a little as they neared to be only 3 people away from the stand itself.

"What are you gonna get?" Brian asked as he too surveyed the menu.

"Ummm, hot dog with the lot and a coke; you?"

"Yeah sounds good."

"I'm so glad to see we're thinking for ourself these days." She baited him up and he just nudged her in the arm with his and pulled out his wallet.

They made their orders and Morgan fished around in her handbag for her purse to take out the money she needed.

"Hey, it's cool I'll get it." Brian offered and she shrugged.

"Thanks."

"Wait; you were supposed to say, 'no that's ok!"

She burst out in sarcastic laughter, "free food's free food, come on how long have you known me?"

"True."

She took her hot dog and coke from the vendor while Brian paid and picked his up.

They walked back down along the street again as he started to cross the road, Morgan had to jog to keep up.

"Hey where are you going?"

"I can't eat this standing up."

Brian walked across the pathway beside the beach and sat on the stone retaining wall, still shocked that she was there.

"Could you please hold that for a second," she asked as she passed over her hotdog.

He took it from her as she carefully swung her legs over the edge of the wall and sat down.

He passed it back as soon as she had settled.

"Thanks."


	14. Fight or Flight

_Hey guys; I'm sorry that I haven't touched anything in such a long time - things have been stressful and very hectic this year for me. Both parent's have been in hospital, jobs, and my last year of school. But I'm getting closer to the end now and things are going well._

_ So I've been working on this chapter here for a long time, and I hope it can make up for the long absences. I think about it all the time actually - perhaps should be thinking more about my english assignment or the stuff I need to do for the formal; but this story is always there. _

_ Ok, so please let me know what you think - and I'll dedicate this long-ass chapter to Bbysail and LaLa2004, cos you guys reviewed the last chapter, and have always supported my stuff here; thanks again and please enjoy and review._

**Song used - 3 Doors Down - Right Where I Belong **

* * *

"So what are you doing with your self once this is all over?" she asked as she swallowed the mouthful of hot dog she had. 

He cleared his throat and drank a bit of his coke, "Honestly don't know. Not sure if I want to stay doing this all the time, maybe I'll just drift for a while; ponder the meaning of life; you know all that deep and meaningful shit."

Morgan couldn't help but laugh, he had his moments and that was something she could never deny.

"What about you twinkle toes?"

She arched an eyebrow, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

She shook her head and decided to just continue on, "Uh I'm nearly all set to become a New Yorker."

Brian looked a little shocked, "New York huh."

"Yeah! I dunno I just need a change ya know? I love Miami to death, but this just feels like something I need to do. Just waiting to get home and put in my transfer papers. Still haven't told Bilkins though."

Brian felt like she'd just stabbed him right between the shoulder blades. How could she move to New York? Would he ever see her again? Why was he even carrying on with this trail of thought, she was a free woman – free to move wherever she wanted, why was he letting this effect him so much?

"And I'm sure that will go _real_ smooth Morgan."

Laughing they both stood up again, threw away their papers and cans and kept walking along the esplanade.

She felt incredibly comfortable, almost like leaving the club that bit earlier was the best thing she had ever done, and thanking her lucky stars he'd left too and approached her.

The limbo that they had been in ever since they'd crossed paths again was killing her; it was either fight of flight and she knew what was going to be the easiest for her.

It was a long walk home; he enjoyed every minute of it, every second of her. He could've only dreamt of what they were doing at that moment when they had crossed paths again; talking, laughing – comfortably.

It really showed him just how much he missed being able to _talk_ to her.

He felt so lonely without her a pain that had dwelled within him since she shut the door on him and walked away from it all.

She disappeared into the bathroom and he decided just to go to bed. Don't carry it on any longer and make things worse – just take flight; away from her.

* * *

Morgan settled down into bed later on and cuddled the blankets around her as she sighed listening to the faint noises of traffic and sirens. She didn't understand how she could feel so low again after the great day she had had, after the walk home and their overtly _nutritious _dinner together. 

She knew this would all end as soon as she moved to New York. She would move away from him, away from the constant longing and sadness, away from it all, turn over a new leaf and live her life to the fullest. No more running. No more hiding.

* * *

He woke with a start at a loud crash and a blinking light showing from underneath his door. 

"What," he muttered sleepily as he rubbed his face and swung his legs out of bed.

Opening the door and walking out into the kitchen he saw Morgan standing next to the light switch with her hand lightly on it staring at a bowl on the floor, her breathing rapid and her forehead was glistening.

In the half asleep state he was he didn't comprehend what had happened.

Then it came to him.

"What happened?"

She breathed out deeply and moved her stare from the bowl to him, "I don't know."

Her breathing started to slow down but she still couldn't remove her hand from the switch.

The light flicked on and off and back on again and she drew it away carefully.

Brian had thought she was over her OCD, he hadn't noticed her doing that ritual since they had been living in the house.

"I don't know how that happened."

"Worried about anything?"

She looked at him and chewed her bottom lip, "nothing but the usual."

Morgan had suffered from a mild form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder when she and Brian had gotten together, it wasn't as bad as many other cases; her only rituals were flicking lights on and off before leaving a room, she counted things a lot, had to make sure things were always even and if she and Brian happened to be leaving the house at the same time she would have to hold his arm for at least 8 seconds before they could leave.

What had triggered her disorder was the anxiety she felt towards being left alone, loved ones leaving and never returning again, going missing, or getting hurt.

When she had walked into the kitchen she had felt the same old anxiety, worried about her father, and for some reason worried about Brian. She'd pulled the bowl out of the cupboard and something just snapped and she lost it, she dropped the bowl and felt herself unable to breathe her eyes welled with tears as she moved to the light switch.

She felt sick as she heard the door open and him coming down the hall. As soon as he entered the room she felt slightly better, and prayed he'd pick the bowl up for her because she didn't know what would happen if she did. She wasn't fussed about having to move from her place against the wall.

He picked up the bowl and put it onto the bench, "still going to use this?"

She shook her head and he put it back into the cupboard it had come from.

He knew something was making her incredibly anxious and uncomfortable for it to happen. She'd been completely broken of her old rituals when they were together after she'd spent time going to see a doctor.

They'd gotten to the roots of the problem and why it only happened at home. It all came back to when she was a teenager and losing her foster mother, and watching the home crumble apart and then herself being thrown out onto the streets again.

Brian wanted to know what had set her off, but he knew better than to push.

She turned and walked back into her room before he could say anything else; tears begin to stream down her cheeks as she climbed back into bed.

Morgan wanted nothing more than him there with her to hold her and just stay with her for the night and the anxiety rose again when she knew that wasn't going to happen.

Brian turned off the light again and went back into his room, pausing at the door briefly before closing it and getting back into bed slowly.

As soon as her eyes opened the next morning she knew that obviously she was ok, nothing had happened, she was strong on her own. No one was leaving, she was her own woman; no one but her could leave and that was physically impossible.

But she couldn't help but wonder what Brian had thought about what happened in the kitchen, probably that she was slipping back into her OCD again.

* * *

2 weeks later… 

He stretched out and looked around the semi-darkened room, realising it was quite different to his own, and remembering the addition of the company beside him. He felt bad for going back to his old ways again; but the combination of alcohol and dark corners really hadn't helped him the night before.

He carefully released himself from the tangle of the nameless girl's arms and legs and as soon as he was free it became a massive task trying to decipher exactly where his clothes were.

Trying his best to stay as quiet as humanly possible he searched around somewhat blindly and swiftly. He found first shoes, then thankfully underwear and jeans with belt still intact. Hard to say what he was more grateful in finding; then finally his shirt seemed to appear in the same place he thought he'd been looking.

The girl moved and made a sleepy noise as he hurriedly did up his belt.

"SHIT!" he mouthed as he searched around for the fastest method of escape; knowing now there would be no time for putting on his shoes or even doing up his shirt.

The curtains moved in the window, which after a close enough inspection didn't have any mesh across it and was open far enough for him to just manage to fit through.

Brian had just hit the ground as he heard noises coming from the room and her saying, 'Baby! Baby where'd you go?' Sinking back as close to the outside wall of the house as he could he held his breath as above him she stuck her head out the window and scanned the yard before calling out again and retreating once more, closing the window after her.

An incredibly long exhaling motion escaped him as he decided to put his shoes and socks back on and do up his shirt, he had just finished tying the first shoelace up as he heard movement on the nearby front steps, he then felt his heart pounding against his chest as he gathered himself up and bolted straight for the fence, taking it in one fluid motion and sprinting with only one shoe down the street as fast as his shaky legs could carry him.

Falling against a nearby tree in a park 1 block later he found himself laughing quite breathlessly. That was a story to tell Rome.

He heard an engine pulling up close to him, looking around the tree carefully Morgan had gotten out and was leaning on the car door nearly in tears from laughter.

"Get in please you're pathetic!" she strained out as she bent over with laughter.

Brian leant back against the tree and found himself chuckling as he tied up the 2nd shoelace and got up and walked over to the black Mercedes coupe.

They got in the car and he could only guess what she was going to say.

"Bit early for a run isn't it?"

She looked at him through the large black sunglasses she was wearing and he just shook his head and felt himself grinning as he jumped in the passenger side seat.

"Never."

"Ha. What the hell.." she trailed off looking in the rear view mirror seeing a scantily clad girl jogging down the street calling out to something.

Brian looked over his shoulder, his jaw dropping as he saw the girl jogging down the street still looking for him.

"OH MY GOD!" Morgan went into a raucous fit of laughter; the girl stopped and studied the car as Brian's heart stopped.

"Shit! Go! Go!" He panicked and pushed her shoulder.

"She's a fuckin psycho! Who does that!"

Morgan's hysterical laughter began to subside as they edged away.

"And why are you out so god damned early anyway?" he questioned getting a little hot under the collar with her laughing so much.

She looked over at him pushing her sunglasses atop her head, he could see her eyes brimming with tears of laughter and her face red, "I won't tell if you won't," she tried her best to wink but burst right out into harder laughter than she was in before.

It was then he started to lose it himself and started laughing along with her.

"I was hungry; I came out to get somethin to eat! This happens to be a shortcut home." She shook her head and wiped away a few tears after they had both settled down again.

"I." she lost it again, "saw you running down the street and a.." Tears were all but rolling down her cheeks again.

He shook his head with a smile and chuckled lightly imagining in a way what it must have looked like, him running down the street, one shoe on, shirt hanging open, belt just barely done up, and a scantily clad girl gaining on him.

"Listen can ya stop laughing at me already!"

"Hey, behave or I'll go and make you apologise to the poor thing alright!"

"Ok, ok, I know it wasn't the best thing to do… But heck I could tell right away if I didn't run things were gonna get very awkward. Not entirely sure, but I think she slipped me something… Christ.." He moved his hand through his hair looking down at his feet and shaking his head.

She took a deep breath and grinned.

"What no comment from you?" he needled her after she still hadn't said anything as they turned down their street again.

"Don't ya think it'd be best if I _didn't_?"

She turned off the engine and he thought it best to at least thank her for not leaving him hanging.

"Owe ya one for that."

"Eh, s'all cool. I needed the entertainment, Rome's still out and Monica's got a hang over."

Closing the door behind himself he followed her back up onto the back veranda of the house and back through the sliding door; Monica sitting on the couch pale and with dark circled eyes; messy hair and a clammy complexion.

"Hey got you some Advil, fried chicken, and straight pineapple juice."

Monica looked at her strangely for the last part, "believe me, it sounds odd and completely undesirable right now; but it works for me. Give it a shot."

Brian couldn't help but smile to himself as he disappeared straight into the bathroom; she was a sucker for fried chicken and plain pineapple juice for hangovers. He had no idea how or when it occurred to her to try the two together, but he had tried it himself a few times and found that it didn't work as well for him as it did her – but it did have a positive effect all the same.

It made him miss her even more; the girl he was with was just a fill in again.

'Shit I could've called her Heraldo and she wouldn't have known the difference.'

The inkling that he'd said Morgan's name was on his mind. He couldn't confirm the fact because he himself could've been called just about anything also, but he just had a feeling like he was off in another planet at that time, and that was what he was thinking about more so than what had actually gone on the night before.

Morgan poured Monica a glass of the juice, and herself one, and popped 2 Advil out of the packet and brought them over to the very subdued and sickly looking Monica who gladly took them.

She sat back on the couch and let her head fall back against the cushions, in a wash of her own thoughts as Monica let out a few coughs and slowly got up and went over to the kitchen bench to inspect the chicken.

The faint sounds of running water in the shower could be heard and she couldn't help but feel strangely about what had happened earlier. Morgan knew it was obvious that he hadn't taken any vows of celibacy since their break-up, but this morning was one of the first real confrontational moments she had had like that regarding him and his night-life.

Morgan didn't really know how to feel about it at all, as much as she was trying her best to be indifferent to the matter it still felt strange to her.

It didn't feel entirely strange at all to herself when it was her in his position the few times that it had happened, she hadn't even given him much of a thought once she'd woken up properly, she just wondered if he had given her a thought at all, whether she had entered his mind before or after at all, she wasn't too fussed about knowing whether she'd been there during.

'Fact is girl; you're pathetic. And worst of all you're still hopelessly head over heels for him.'

Monica made another noise and she snapped out of her daydream-like-state and back into reality.

The shower had stopped, and Brian had gone back into his room and gotten dressed. He thought things through in the shower, the path he was heading back down, the way he was feeling, the way she was making him feel both good and bad.

It was always the same with him, as soon as he laid eyes on her he felt the charade slipping; the confidence he was known for by everyone else that had ever crossed paths with him was taken right back down to nothing. He felt like a blank slate in a way, a clean slate. Not so much a new person, rather – a far better person. That, his mother had said was what she had seen many years ago in his step father, he still didn't get exactly why, but as he got older and he felt it for himself he knew that he had to respect that and feel something positive for it.

As corny as it all seemed he missed her more than anything in the world, for every reason he could think of and he tried to make himself feel as if he were better off without for each of those reasons and anything else he could possibly think of.

Rome walked down the path; he had spent the night with Kia. She was special, he hadn't seen it as clearly as he should have the first time around, then he saw her standing by the bar alone and those damned beautiful eyes of hers and her glowing skin and he knew that whatever he was feeling for Morgan's friend was just a crush. He didn't know Sandra; she could be a complete disaster. He felt he knew Kia, and as much as he tried to deny himself he felt like she was the most beautiful being he'd come across.

* * *

**Los Angeles, California – 2001**

Brian had to find the strength to pry himself from the bed that day. He had to go back and play the careless hanger-on Spilner and do a damned good job of it; he had to be cool, calm and collected, regardless of whether or not he had just lost the love of his life.

He hadn't slept even for a moment, he was blank. He had never felt so much in such a short period of time in his life. Never had he thought a girl could do this to him; but here he was.

Brian O'Conner had rarely cried in his lifetime, nor had he felt this amount of pain. His life was not without it, but he had always tried and somewhat succeeded at putting a dampener on its edge, however this time he could hardly breathe from the sheer intensity. She had left early in the morning and it was now nearly 9am and he felt that for the most part of those near 6 hours tears were on his cheeks, building up, dry over drier, before they were joined by fresh.

How life could ever go on without her was a concept that he could not even begin to apply.

Beside him his mobile phone started to ring loudly stirring him from his entrancement.

It was of all people the reason his beautiful Morgan had left in the first place.

"Hey, will I see you today?"

Brian had to pull himself together in a matter of seconds to calculate an answer, "Think I'll be workin most of the day actually, but listen if there's a race on tonight let me know and I'll do my best to walk there." He felt like punching something.

She laughed, a little too loudly, "Can do, should I bring a tuna sandwich with me?"

"You know it."

With that he heard an airy laugh and the click-like noise that came with a disconnected call.

His head connected with the wall behind him a little too hard and he brought it forward sharply feeling the lowest he had felt all day.

Morgan's breath was shaky as she started her car. She knew that she couldn't keep going on the way that she was. Women were always saying, 'as soon as he cheats, kick him to the curb.' As much as she wanted to feel right about what she was doing, this was Brian. The guy who had loved her for exactly who she is, who she was and everything in between for the last 4 years of their lives, the guy who had stood by and waited until she was ready before taking the next step, the same one who had taken her into his family and the same one who did all the corny little loved up things that she needed.

Was it supposed to be so hard?

As she reached the first set of traffic lights she slowed on the yellow and felt herself just wanting to chuck the fastest u-turn of her life and go straight back to him. But she knew that if she was set out to do the best thing for her she had to keep the steering wheel straight and her eyes on the road.

The engine whirred down as she slowed and came to a complete stop in the driveway. Her head hitting the headrest she exhaled before more tears fell and she sobbed.

Pushing the door open was the thing that required the most energy so far, that followed by stepping out of the car and walking over to the front door.

She knocked.

Then rang the doorbell.

And again.

A light came on in a side room, and footsteps quickly made their way toward her like they knew exactly who was standing on the other side.

Bly looked through the 'spy-glass' as she liked to call it and saw a silhouette very much resembling Morgan Forrester. Her head rested against the back of the door briefly as she sighed and felt her heart sinking.

She unbolted the locks as Morgan's breath picked up pace again, she felt like she was about to start hyperventilating.

Bly knew all she could do right now was just put her arms around her friend and let her cry.

* * *

"How'd it go hot stuff?" Morgan leaned over the back of the couch as Rome walked through the door. 

"Just fine," Rome drawled as he ruffled her hair and they play fought until Brian's re-entering the room interrupted them.

"Tell me the details later," grinning, Morgan got up off the couch and went into her room.

She knew they were awkward, except for their walk home 2 weeks previous, and even that morning. It reminded her of how things were when they had first started dating, the same feelings were there; a tension that would ebb away as soon as they settled.

She'd slept off her late night for a few hours and re-emerged from her bedroom to a snoring Rome on the couch, an infomercial on television and a few empty glasses and plates on the coffee table and on the kitchen bench.

The amount of plates and glasses Rome and Brian went through in one day, and even Monica still had her baffled, as good a cook as he was; she knew Brian seemed to find a way to use 4 saucepans, 2 frying pans and a griller to make very simple things, but amazed that he could be outdone by Rome or even Monica.

Looking around the somewhat dishevelled lounge room she felt her clean and tidy instincts kicking in and piled everything she could find up and managed to half fill the dishwasher, knowing that no matter who cooked that night it would easily be filled by about 8:30pm.

* * *

Brian had spent most of the day with friends in a secluded beach area scoping out some of the island's best waves, taking his mind off things and unwinding as much as he could. 

He knew that the case they were working on was climbing to fever pitch very quickly and he felt the need to level out and relax before he would have to be on his toes 24/7.

"Hey bro, I heard that 3 Doors Down is playin soon, y'all wanna go?" Drew; a darkly tanned, brunette with blonde-tips asked Brian as conversation had fallen into a little slump as the group of 8 men floated aimlessly on their boards waiting for the next set to roll in.

"Hell yeah man, where are they playin at?"

"At the Hilltop apparently."

The Hilltop Bar had become Brian's favourite get-away place. Rome, Monica, and Morgan knew nothing of it; and that was the way he wanted it kept. He would use the Hilltop as an escape, when he needed to take a break, or think things through – or just get away from noisy nightclubs.

"They play Kryptonite though and I might throw somethin, but other than that I'm in bro." Brian smirked and looked off toward the horizon line, searching for the illusive set; any more searching and they'd all be standing in their places as the tidal change moved in.

"Let's just bail," another said.

* * *

Morgan picked up one of the tacky red 'plastic fantastic' faux wicker baskets piled up by the doors of the small convenience store and held it to her hip as she casually flipped through the aisles picking the necessities out and throwing them into the vulgar basket. 

Yawning she took a step back to see the shelves fully in the pastas aisle, found exactly what she wanted, and calculated that if she were to put the basket down, and climb up the shelves she could get it.

Biting her lip she rocked back on her left heel to look down the aisle for any one who could assist her, seeing no one, she checked her coast was clear and put the plastic wicker basket on the floor and got on the tips of her toes in a feeble attempt to reach the packet of lasagne sheets.

"Stupid fricken high shelved fricken lasagne sheets.. Who puts shit up that high?" she muttered to herself as she quickly moved back and looked down the aisle again.

Brian parked the navy blue Aston Martin in an available parking space and made a mental note of the many ways he could cause physical injury to anyone who made an attempt to remove his board from the roof; bungee cord not being the most secure thing on the planet.

He walked into the store, past the annoying red plastic monstrosities and down toward the fruit and vegetable section. As he walked past the aisles he saw a familiar figure looking the opposite way, then moving toward the shelf and looking upwards toward the line of lasagne sheets out of her reach.

She muttered under her breath as he snuck up and easily plucked the box she had been eyeing, off the shelf and tossed it into the basket.

Morgan had been looking down the aisle again as she heard something fall into the basket beside her feet. She looked up and scowled, swiping the basket back off the floor.

He could see she was just joking around, as her face broke very soon after and she smiled.

"Listen here Lurch I was just about to climb up there and get that myself."

Brian let out a smug laugh, "and it would have been a long way to the top Lucky Charms."

She screwed her face up and couldn't help but laugh, "stop being so mean to me, it's not my fault no one watered me!"

* * *

**Los Angeles – 1998**

"Ouch!"

"Shit, babe are you ok?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine, can you think about taking that off though?"

He threw the bulky belt holding his gun to the floor and she pulled him back down to her by his shirt before their lips collided again. Wrapping his arms around her waist he pulled her over with him as he moved onto his back.

"Ow jesus!" he winced.

"What happened?" she looked worried and moved off of him to sit up as he shifted his back and pulled the television remote out and threw it away from them.

"Remote."

He raised his eyebrow at her, she laughed and he sharply pulled her back down to him.

Clothes built up around them as things began to heat up.

"Oh come on!" he shouted as the phone began to ring.

"Ignore it!"

They continued to kiss and to explore each other as the phone rang.

"God that's distracting," Morgan breathed out as he kissed down her neck and over her shoulder.

"Is your voicemail on?"

"Yeah."

"So don't worry about it." Brian smiled at her as she gave him one of her looks.

The voicemail message read out and the beep sounded as a young girl began to speak.

"Um, hi, Morgan, it's Jessie, you're probably at work but.."

"I gotta get it," Morgan pushed Brian off of her and scrambled as fast as she could to the phone before 'Jessie' hung up.

"Oh come on!" he groaned in the background as she picked the phone up from the receiver.

"Jessie, honey how are you?" Morgan curled her legs up under her and moved a piece of hair from her face.

"Hi! I thought you must have been at work or something."

"No, no I'm here, what's up?"

"Uh, well listen I know this is last minute, but I can't, I just can't stay here right now, and I kinda already booked the ticket and I'm so sorry but could I?"

"Of course! And as soon as you get here I want you to tell me what's going on ok?" Morgan swallowed.

Brian sat up and cracked his neck, knowing that what they had going before the phone call was out the window. He raked his hand through his hair and got up off the floor and went to the kitchen to get a glass of water and have a cigarette.

He was halfway through the smoke when Morgan came into the kitchen and hugged him from behind resting her head just below his naked shoulder blades and sighed.

"I don't think it's gonna happen tonight."

"Yeah I kinda got the impression," he replied flicking the built up ash into the tray beside him.

She groaned, "I'm sorry."

"Hey don't apologise! Who's Jessie?" he asked as she moved and pushed herself up onto the bench in front of him and he moved himself between her knees.

"Uh my sister.. per say."

His lips moved to a smile at her last comment.

"So what's up with your sister, per say?"

"I don't really know, she didn't let on much, but she's getting on a flight tomorrow morning from Seattle."

Morgan picked up the pack of cigarettes near the sink, pulled one out and took the purple lighter to light it up.

"Oh is she Kevin's daughter?"

"Yeah, I dunno, I feel like I should be ringing him."

"Just wait until she gets here tomorrow and go from there," he advised and she nodded and kissed him before flicking the built up ash from her own cigarette.

"I think it's about time we go to bed anyways." Morgan jumped down and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face.

Brian kept going down the hall making sure all the lights were off and the doors and windows locked. Still feeling a little deflated, but he knew as soon as she answered the phone it wasn't going to happen that night, and after already a week of nothing why not add one more night.

Morgan rinsed the cleanser off of her face at the basin, feeling guilty about turning him down, they hadn't been 'together' for nearly a week due to different reasons; she wasn't as in to it as he was, but as the phone rang she felt herself getting more interested.

But as she rested her head against the mirror she sighed and felt how tired she really was all through her body.

She walked back down the hall and into her bedroom where Brian was already in bed, fast asleep. Quietly sliding out the draw holding her pyjamas she pulled out a white singlet top and a pair of dark blue plaid soft sleep pants and got changed. Pulling her hair back into a messy ponytail she pulled back her side of the bed and climbed in gently not to stir him; he was far more worn out than she was.

Small patches of light illuminated the room with a glow from the street lights and lights through the gaps in the curtains on the other side of the room.

Brian turned and woke for a second, seeing a blurry outline next to him he settled down again and fell into and even heavier sleep, not stirring again until the alarm clock started to blear out a whiny, incessant beep at 7am the next morning.

Morgan had gotten out of bed and started herself a shower, she had to get to the airport by 8:30 to pick Jessie up, her plane from Seattle was coming in at 9, and parking spaces were few and far between at that time at LAX.

She got dressed in the bathroom and wandered back out into the kitchen again once she was done to make a quick breakfast and hit the road, traffic was going to be thick and she didn't want to leave a 17 year old to her own devices in a strange, large airport.

"Hey," she said softly as she climbed onto her boyfriend and kissed him gently, "I've gotta go and get Jess now, you're blocking me in so can I take the truck?"

"Yeah that's fine," he replied groggily moving his hands to rest on her legs.

"Do you want me to get you somthin to eat while I'm out? It's getting a little slim in the fridge, and other than that there's cereal or toast."

"Mc Donalds would sit just right actually please."

She laughed and put her hands on his.

"Ok I gotta go or I'm gonna hit really shitty traffic," she started to shift from him and stand up.

"Mmm, I love you," Brian shifted to look at her and she gave him a smile, he didn't feel like he'd let her know enough the last few weeks, they'd been a little strained and working overtime on different things, and he was worried she was feeling neglected.

"I love you too, but I gotta go!" she moved and he kissed her before she jogged into the lounge room.

"Keys are on the kitchen table." Brian yelled out to her from the bedroom and she quickly took them and got her wallet and sunglasses before going out and getting into Brian's white 88 GMC truck and starting it up.

It was just after 7:30 when Morgan left and Brian had fallen into a light sleep again and woke up at 8:40; he got out of bed before he fell asleep again and went into the kitchen for a glass of orange juice before straightening the house up and getting into a hot shower.

Morgan waited at the gates, watching the planes come in, and the arrival information; Jessie's flight was delayed by bad weather in San Diego, and wouldn't leave San Diego until at least 10:30-11am due to heavy rain and fog.

Brian had just crawled back into bed to continue sleeping when the phone began to ring; worried it was Morgan calling saying his car had broken down or likewise he got out of bed quickly to answer rather than letting her and Janey's voicemail pick it up.

"Hello?"

"Um hi, is Morgan there? Do I have the wrong number?"

"You've got the right number, but she's not here right now; gone to the airport to pick up a friend, can I ask who this is and take a message for her?"

"Uh, well I guess I'm that friend. My plane's been delayed for about an hour and half, 2 hours depending on the weather, they've grounded us in San Diego, does she have a cell yet?"

Brian laughed sarcastically, "I'm still trying."

Jessie smiled, "so I'm sorry but who is this?"

"Her boyfriend and you're Jessie right?"

"Yeah, that's me."

"Listen, she might already know about this, but I might have to go over there and try and find her."

"Um ok, gosh I'm sorry about this! If you do go, just let her know I'm fine and cross my heart, and hope to die I will not talk to anyone that I don't know," Jessie said as her change was getting low in the payphone.

"Ha, no problem, just give us a ring when you're about to get on the plane to come here and let us know when to come and pick you up."

"Sure, thanks a lot."

"Bye."

They both hung up and Brian rubbed his face and tried to wake himself up as much as he could before deciding whether or not to see if she would be home on her own or if he should go to LAX and see what was going on.

Twenty minutes had passed; he was on the couch watching television as he heard his car pulling up outside and shortly after a key turning in the door.

"Hey," she said as she shut the door behind her and put the keys down onto the small book shelf beside the door.

"Jess's plane has been grounded in San Diego, something about bad weather conditions or something." She informed him as she kicked off her shoes and moved over to sit with him on the couch.

"Yeah I heard, she rang up about half an hour ago and asked if you were here, then told me about what was going on and to let you know she was alright, and that she wouldn't dare talk to anyone she didn't know."

Morgan laughed and put her head on his shoulder, he moved his arm around her waist and they sat there like that watching a B grade movie for the next half hour.

* * *

A short silence passed by them before Morgan cleared her throat and decided to push on with what she was doing, Brian sensed the need for flight from her and he was feeling it too; after all the years apart he could still pick up on exactly what she was feeling. 

"Well I'll just leave you to your short devices and be on my way then," Brian baited her up before he turned to walk away.

"And one day I'll put a rattle snake in your bed."

He turned and she had already started to walk off.

Laughing under his breath he shifted what he was holding in his arms and pressed on.

Drew had met up with him half way around, Brian had gone and gotten himself a basket, realising he was going to need more than he thought he did.

Morgan bent over slightly to reach for a tub of yoghurt when she felt a hand slide up under her grey Henley top and rest on her stomach.

Brian watched the scene and thought Drew must have been insane.

"Oh baby, take me now!" Morgan breathed.

Brian had never been more confused in his entire life, his friend, copping a feel of his 'roommate' and her going along with it; two people who had never met.

"Finally!"

"Ha, you wish!" she stood up and he took his hands from her and she wrapped her arms around his neck and he hugged her back tightly, swaying a little.

"What are you doin here!"

"What are _you _doin here!" Morgan retaliated, finding it hard to believe Drew of all people turning up in the Bahamas, and further more in the little store.

"Well basically Sheila said to me one day, 'don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya', so I decided to cruise over here for some cuddles, surf and general good times."

Morgan burst out laughing, she could've told him that would have happened months before she left, "so she finally got sick of you hitting on anything and everything in heels and a short skirt?"

"I did not; you know you were my one and only baby cakes."

She laughed again and hugged him, "yet I have a real hard time believing that sugar pie."

Brian moved to interrupt them, "I hate to intrude on the love in here, but what the hell?"

They both looked at him, "this is my girl Mor."

Morgan interrupted him quickly before he could make her name out, "no, no, he knows who I am."

"Well then, what the hell?" Drew was now feeling more confused than Brian.

Brian had deducted they knew each other from Miami; Drew had told him he had lived there for most of his life, before he split with his girlfriend.

"_Mariana's _one of my roommates, how the hell do you two know each other?"

Drew gave Morgan a look, as soon as Brian had called her a strange name, and put a fair amount of emphasis on it he knew she was working on something with the bureau, which then lead him to why in hell was Brian living with an undercover FBI agent, he wouldn't have expected agents to be placed with civilians.

"We were pals in Miami." Morgan filled in as Drew looked from her to Brian.

"Yeah Mariana and I go way back." Drew furrowed his brow.

Morgan moved over close to him and began to whisper in his ear, "lets discuss this somewhere else before anyone notices what a fucked up conversation this is ok?"

Drew nodded and grinned, "aw girl I can't go home with you right now! I mean just leave my boy here hangin', but tonight should I bring the chocolate sauce of the whipped cream?"

Morgan busted up laughing and whacked him in the stomach, "well sweetie I know your dad always liked it when I brought the chocolate."

Morgan began to walk away and left Drew smirking, Brian still feeling dumbfounded.

"You're killin me sexy, you're killin me!" he called out behind her, she turned to look over her shoulder at him as she walked and poked out her tongue.

She couldn't wait to hear the backlash when Brian got home after he went through the checkout.

Brian and Drew's gaze met, "Drew, bro we'll leave it for another time."

"I think that'd be best."

* * *

Brian balanced the edge of the basket on the conveyor-belt of the checkout as Drew was nearly finished paying for what he had purchased. 

Placing a few tins and a can of deodorant on the black vinyl Drew chuckled.

"That time of month brah?"

"What?" Brian looked down again and saw a packet of tampons laying on top of the bag of M&Ms he'd put in there shortly before running into Morgan.

He put his hand on his face and groaned, "That bitch! I swear to god I'm gonna end up killin' her one day."

The young girl serving them was looking at Brian with a twisted expression as he picked the packet out of the basket.

"I did not put these in here ok! It was my roommate she's.."

"I'll put them back for you," the young girl held out her hand and Brian quickly passed the box to her before anyone would notice.

"Thanks," he said quietly.

"No problem," the girl said while trying her best to hold back laughter.

Drew was all but rolling on the floor by that time.

Brian had gone bright red as the girl gave him the total, all he wanted to do was pay her as quickly as he could, get his stuff and hi-tail it out of there.

She gave him his change and a receipt and he quickly shoved it in his pocket and grabbed the plastic bags containing his groceries.

"Uh, have a nice day," the girl said after him.

Drew jogged along behind his friend who was walking at breakneck speed toward his car.

Still laughing as Brian threw the bags onto the passenger seat he patted him on the back, "I'll be takin off bout now then man. Ya know, leave ya to it."

"Yeah," Brian grunted closing the door with a snap and walking around to the driver's side and getting in, slamming the door and starting the engine sharply.

Drew walked off toward his beat up 80 series Land Cruiser shaking his head with a smile.

That was the first time he'd seen his friend riled up about anything, Brian was one of the most laid back, easy going guys he'd ever encountered. But he knew how frustrating Morgan; or Mariana could be at times.

* * *

_**Miami - December 10 2003**_

"So I was thinking that I should be asking you out about now." He sidled up beside her at the bar and she turned to face him; her gaze steady, her eyes however unreadable.

"I'm with someone."

"Can't be that serious if you're here all on your own buttercup," he moved a little closer, she still held her own.

"He's working out of town."

"Oh that old line huh."

She laughed, "Actually no if you would care to turn your attentions momentarily to the big screen right there, you will soon see where he is and what he's doing right now."

Drew looked up at the screen showing the Miami Dolphins playing the New York Jets in NYC.

"Oh come on, you are not with a Dolphin."

"Hate to burst the bubble you're building, but yeah I am. Night Drew," Morgan got off the stool and patted him on the back as she left a tip next to her empty glass and walked off.

"Which one then?"

"Half-back." She kept going.

* * *

Morgan lay on the sand in a plain royal blue bikini soaking up what was left of the warm, late afternoon sun; stretching, she pushed her sunglasses up her nose and lay her head down on the towel closing her eyes and sighing – loving how warm and cosy she was feeling. 

The wave sets moving in at the backdoor where amazing that afternoon; he hadn't found better there since they'd been living in the villa. Quickly changing into a pair of navy, red and white boardshorts, Brian took his board from its position on the veranda, propped against the wall and headed off toward the beach, also with a full bucket of water in hand.

All of a sudden the warmth and bright glow from the sun had disappeared, she was plunged into shadow behind her eyelids as a burst of freezing cold water collided with her warm skin sending chills down her spine as she coughed and spluttered trying to see the source.

She finally managed to pull herself together and search for what had just happened; even though she could probably think of a good place it had come from. She looked back towards the house – nothing, to the left – nothing, the right – still nothing, toward the ocean – 3 surfers out too far away for her to tell who they were, and one paddling out, with a small blue bucket sitting not far from the shore.

Snapping closed her dripping sunglasses she put them back into the little bag she had brought down with her, she checked around and then stood up shaking out her towel before hanging it over her shoulder and taking her bag, back toward the house.

Brian quickly looked over his shoulder with a grin to see what she was doing, and saw her walking casually back up to the house.

He was disappointed, kind of hoping she would try and chase him out there. He used to find her quite straightforward but obviously he had missed a lot the last 3 years of her life and now found it hard to know whether she was right or left, black or white.

Later that night Brian lay on the couch channel surfing, Rome sitting on the floor sending text messages and Monica out again with her boyfriend.

Morgan walked out into the lounge room, hair shoved back into a messy bun and wearing a green singlet top with a pair of baggy denim ¾ shorts.

Brian settled back and stretched out with his hand tucked under the hem of his shirt nearly asleep.

"Got cramps?" she said out of nowhere and Rome looked at her, seeing her focus was directly at his friend on the couch.

"No; but thank you for being such a caring individual."

Rome was a little confused but kept his fingers moving, writing a message to Kia. He had noticed there wasn't as much hostility between them anymore, if anything they were getting quite friendly; as opposed to the old days when as soon as one caught sight of the other the claws would be out and ready to attack.

It was relieving for once to have a female around and not have his friend and her making out on the couch in front of him or making eyes at each other.

Monica walked through the door and found Brian on the couch out to it, which wasn't that unusual, Rome in the kitchen, and Morgan curled up on the floor holding onto a pillow, as much out to it as Brian was.

"Are they both asleep?" Monica asked Rome quietly as she placed her bag and keys down on the table.

"Peaceful ain't it?"

She smiled and walked down the hall, heels clicking on the floorboards.

Sitting on her bed Monica flopped back and smiled, she was having a great time now and had forgotten completely about the confused feelings she was having due to Brian's indecisiveness, and Carter Verone; just Carter in general.

James was sweeping her off her feet and she felt like she deserved it. She'd struggled enough through bad relationships, it was time for Monica Fuentes to get something decent for once.

* * *

Rome put the finishing touches on his ice cream sundae creation and felt a little sorry for the two people in the lounge room. He and Monica were happy and in fun relationships, whereas Brian had had nothing but meaningless 'booty calls' the whole time they were there, and Morgan, had had some sort of 'boyfriend/friend' but that was now over for longer than it had been on. 

Brian always seemed to be discontent – never satisfied with anything; which for his friend was unusual. Morgan, she was distant, her and Rome would have little 'girl 2 guy' chats and talk about anything and nearly everything, but out of those times her eyes held a distant look and her actions sometimes looked to be clouded.

3 Doors Down was coming to town soon and Brian wanted to ask her if she wanted to go, seeing as most likely she would be left on her own, Rome no doubt would be off somewhere banging Kia, and Monica would be out with James; that left Morgan the odd one out – and with Drew there it wouldn't appear to be a loaded question, they wouldn't be shoved in each others faces all night either.

He opened his eyes and yawned, not having really slept as opposed to just thinking, and then enjoying some complete silence, listening to the fuzzy sound of the television and the muffled movements of Rome and Monica – completely tuning himself out from the world.

The next morning she sipped her black coffee while reading the newspaper, the smell of toast browning in the toaster wafted by her as Rome chewed mouthful after mouthful of fruit loops, and Monica – who had mysteriously disappeared earlier wandered dreamily back through the front door, Brian stood at the kitchen counter buttering the now cooked toast.

The radio was playing forming the background noise as Rome started to question Monica, forcing her into a 'walk of shame' situation.

Brian was laughing; Morgan smiled but found the song playing on the small radio more interesting and asked Brian, who was nearest to turn it up.

_There's a difference in spending time with me_

_And killing time while I'm there_

_I'm too many people and too many things_

_And it makes me feel like hell_

_You're half gone as I can see_

_And all of this she says to me_

"Oh now this is the shit right here." She smirked

_There's too many questions and too many strings_

_And they won't keep theirself tied_

_On a rollercoaster ride, it feels like I'm lying _

_Next to a ghost at night_

_I don't know why I gave you my heart_

_But sometimes it feels so wrong_

_But despite of all this weather and while we are together_

_And I swear right now I'm right where I belong_

Brian was surprised, he knew she liked Kryptonite years ago but she was singing this song word for word and it wasn't a single. It might've been the right time to drop the idea about the concert.

_I know I get a little bit crazy_

_But I've never done you no wrong_

_Well I get distracted and carried away_

_And it's been this way too long_

_Well I don't know what you need from me_

_Cause all I know is what I can see_

Rome and Monica had at the same time cleared the room, if this wasn't a sign he should ask now nothing was.

"Hey, Drew was telling me about a 3 Doors Down concert coming up on the weekend; do ya wanna come with us all?"

"You're shittin me! For sure, wouldn't pass that up for the world."

"Yeah just thought I'd mention; getting too quiet around here."

She smiled, "yeah, where the hell have they gone now?"

* * *

Brian walked the halls of the compound, heading toward Vincent's office; he'd already dropped a couple of very inconspicuous wires and he knew Morgan had bugged Deluka himself, using a sticky, degradable patch on the inside of his coat collar – all of which was now recording on the island of Antigua most likely on the coffee table in front of Agent Bilkins and Markham. 

Morgan was sitting beside Vincent as they both looked intently at the computer screen in front of them, all of a sudden Vincent crying out in defeat.

"I did not see that coming."

"Either did I! I thought all bases were covered!" she shook her head with a laugh.

He stood behind her chair and looked at the screen himself – Minesweeper open.

"Ok, try over there."

"The left?"

"Yep perfect," Morgan 'Mariana' guided his mouse around.

Brian tried to make himself known in the room, and Vincent turned his attention away from the small grey grid in front of him.

"Ahh just the man I wanted to see."

"I'll leave you two alone then, just let me know if you need anything at all." Morgan smiled and excused herself, slipping past Brian and closing the door behind her.

* * *

Bilkins settled himself down to listen to the audio streaming through from the bugs the agents had planted, he had left Markham to deal with the minor surveillance recordings, he wanted to hear the goings on right from Deluka's office. 

Feeling like he had been listening to nothing but meaningless dribble for hours Bilkins shifted uncomfortably in his lounge chair and was about to get up and leave when it became heated all of a sudden.

"How's my Meth coming along Samuel?" Deluka barked.

Bilkins didn't hear a reply, and deducted that 'Samuel' was communicating via telephone – therefore his side of the conversation was recording on yet another computer monitor in the corner of the room.

"Not good enough," he paused, as if interrupted, "No, I cannot have them make the collections unless I have fucking product going out, what do you think they just fucking pay me for no reason now you shit brained little twerp?"

Samuel must have replied, Deluka's pen tapping on his desk could be heard in the background, "Remember our little talk Samuel – you screw up my Meth, I kill your wife, and let your little son watch."

The crash of the receiver connecting with the phone body was heard and Deluka coughed before moving in his seat, "Mariana, sweet heart could you please come in here for a moment?"

Bilkins hadn't felt so good the entire time he had been there as he did at that moment – verbal confirmation; Deluka inquiring about Methadone, and putting into his own words what Morgan had already told him about collections.

Markham had returned to the case, and decided not to take any action on Morgan – he couldn't stand the girl, but he had been pushing her and her lashing out like that was the desired effect. After much thought he knew it wasn't worth all the hassle that would ensue, most of this stemming from a CIA agent named Forrester.


	15. Collision Course

Hi all, here's the new chapter - it still took a few months to get here, but alot faster than usual. I'm finished with high school now and for the time being am pretty stress free; so expect the new chapter hopefully in only one month!

Thanks to bbysail and lala2004, as well as CrazyC87, I had started thinking no one else was reading this - so thanks a bunch!!

Ok, well I hope everyone out there had a good, safe holiday season!

Please review, I know I'm a crappy poster; but I do love getting some feedback on it.

* * *

Brian heard the door close behind him as he took a seat on the other side of the large mahogany desk. Just waiting for his orders, Rome always got out of this part of their job and he hated that; it was usually the blonde man who could worm his way out of the more menial tasks - not be stuck into them by his friend.

When it came to working with Deluka, he really found it hard working around his 'surfer boy' image in a relatively humane way. Over the months he had found himself inflicting sometimes serious injury on any of Deluka's little junkie friends who refused to take him seriously. The job he was doing was paying him incredibly well, and he had one of the hottest cars in the world at his disposal 24 hours a day; however all of that really didn't mean anything to him.

The man had been having regular appointments with his doctor for the last few months, talking through his problems as much as he could allow and finding ways for himself to cope with everything going on around him and to deal once and for all, with the fact that no matter how hard he tried – the life he had in LA pre 2001 could never be a reality again.

Sometimes it didn't even really have anything to do with not having a relationship with Morgan anymore; it was the way things made him feel. He would get home from a hard day at the garage, and check his messages; then lie on the couch with a 6 pack of Corona and drink until the early evening, then order takeout. He missed going from work to a 'home' not an empty apartment, he missed talking to someone face-to-face about his day, not his mother on the other side of the country; or Suki via SMS.

He constantly felt like he was simply just 'squatting' in his apartment, not that he had bought it outright with some of the 'funds' he and Rome had acquired thanks to Carter Verone. The furniture he had was just that, pieces of wood, or steel – welded, screwed and glued together for a purpose. Not something to relax on or a warm place to retreat to.

One of the memories of the 'old life' he lead was coming home from a hard day on the beat; turning his key in the door, taking off his shoes and leaving them next to the pile of hers, taking an apple off the bowl in the kitchen, finding Morgan if she wasn't working and giving her a kiss then heading straight for the shower.

Now it was, take off his shoes, leave them next to the pile of his own, get a Corona, check his messages, have a shower, sit on the couch or out on the balcony and get buzzed before bed.

He knew now, that even having a relationship with Morgan again wouldn't really give him exactly what he wanted; rather it could at least satisfy what he needed to start to feel full again. She could make a cardboard box home to him and he wouldn't ever notice the difference.

* * *

_Looking back it was easy_

His doctor was helping him to heal, and to realise that what he has now; with a little work from him and support from those closest to him, could easily be better than what he had pre case.

* * *

Morgan sat back down at her own little desk; she began thumbing through the payroll files and found Brian and Rome's. She started to update the pay information for the both of them on the computer and got Brian's ready for him to sign whenever she could get a hold of him before he left to do anymore of Vincent's dirty work.

She could see it in his eyes every time he came home from a job, the pain it was causing him. No matter how bad-assed, or careless he could come off at times, she knew that Brian O'Conner felt things a lot more deeply than the average person; and found it sometimes impossible to shed the more painful feelings.

Thinking back on the old days always got her a little upset, just thinking about their 'home'; she had a house in Miami, never a home. Even when she was with someone it was never really a home, more just sharing their house. The way Brian used to make her feel was one of the things she really missed the most. Her stomach, even after 4 years would still do little back flips when they were together.

It was hard not having someone to talk to, to bitch and whine about everything that was going wrong in her life and not be told to 'suck it up' or told her life was just fine and there were starving children in Africa.

They could say anything to each other and never feel like they were being judged. They would dance around like idiots to Will Smith; sing to Celine Dion in the car… She could never have a relationship with a guy like that again, friend or boyfriend.

Brian strolled past the open door to her office and she was shaken by her thoughts, she yelled out to him and moved to try and catch up if he hadn't heard her, she skidded out the door and ran straight into him.

"Shit sorry," he apologised first – he always seemed to apologise first with her.

"Same, listen I need you to sign this weeks payslip, do you know when Rome might surface; his pay is still waiting from last week because he's never here when I need him."

"Yeah that's fine, he'll probably come in tomorrow; just tell him what's going on when you get home – as soon as he knows he's missing out on money you won't get rid of him."

She just smiled and shook her head as she moved a pen and the payslip print out toward him, he leant down on the desk as he signed it and pushed it back toward her, "that all?"

"That's all, you're excused."

He flipped her off as he walked out the door and she rolled her eyes as she looked back at the computer screen in front of her.

* * *

"KIA! Just tell me what's going on! Why won't you even look me in the eyes anymore? Y'all don't even let me touch you anymore! Baby you gots to tell me what's going on aight."

Rome tried to refrain from raising his voice as he left another message on her machine. He hadn't heard from her for a week and it was killing him not being able to see her, and not knowing why he couldn't.

It was getting late in the afternoon, and Rome walked down a busy street somewhat aimlessly; thoughts of Kia played on his mind as he navigated through the bodies rushing past him and pushing against him.

It wasn't long before he saw her, she was standing with Brian, they were talking, she looked like she'd been crying, he wiped a tear from her cheek and they hugged.

Rome's blood boiled.

'That asshole,' was all that ran through the man's mind after seeing that sight; no wonder she wasn't talking to him anymore, why talk to Rome when you're getting some from the blonde playmate. After all the years he and Brian had been friends, and for all the things Rome had done for him this was how he was being repaid.

A wave of pain hit him; it ached from his fingers to his toes, from his nose to his knee. He loved her, he thought she loved him; she was sleeping with his best friend.

He kept going, now walking with purpose – to go home and wait. The bastard would be back soon and Rome was planning on having a 'chat' with him as soon as he got through the door.

* * *

Morgan worked her way through the crowds, in search of Kia. She was told to meet her there at quarter to 6; apparently there was something big she was going to tell her.

She spotted Brian first, then Kia standing next to him in tears.

Morgan pushed through the people as fast as she could, ducking and weaving through the throng.

"HEY!" she collided with Kia hugging her tight.

"What's up pretty lady?" Morgan asked her, her face softening.

Kia let out a smaller sob trying to compose herself, "I need to talk to the both of you really, I've kinda already told Brian, but I need to be honest with you Mari before I talk to Rome."

Morgan nodded with a comforting smile, "ok, well do you want to go to a café or something?"

Morgan had returned home after a long conversation with both Brian and Kia in a small café, and then after Brian had left, a quick shopping trip to take Kia's mind off of everything that was going on around her.

As soon as she turned the door handle a tidal wave of tension poured out through the opening right on top of her. She scanned the room before entering it, when she found nothing out of the ordinary she stepped inside, her hand reaching into her purse, her slim fingers snaking around a hard, cold, metallic handle.

"WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM?"

Brian's yell echoed around the house and into the still night air, it made her shudder; she'd only ever heard him yell that loudly once before.

"YOU'RE TAPPIN MY GIRLFRIEND! THAT'S MY GODAMN PROBLEM WHITE BOY!" Roman Pearce bellowed in retaliation.

Silence reverberated off the walls briefly as Morgan quietly took off her shoes, and released her fingers from their grip on the pistol.

"What did you say?" the volume of Brian's voice had lowered dramatically, it was barely audible to Morgan – who was unsure if she should make her presence known to them, or just make herself invisible.

"You fuckin heard me you asshole."

"YOU ARE FUCKING MY GIRLFRIEND!" Rome pushed Brian; the man stumbled back against the wall behind him.

Brian shoved him back, Rome then being pushed against the railings of the veranda.

"I'm not."

The laugh that then escaped Rome's lips sent shivers down Morgan's spine as she closed her bedroom door.

"Don't play this shit on me 'brutha' it ain't gonna work."

"Call her, call her if you won't take my word for it dumbass," Brian grabbed the handle of the glass sliding door and flicked it back, he stepped into the house, closely followed by Rome and picked up the phone.

"Yeah right, y'all rehearse this before?"

Brian swallowed; he couldn't believe what was happening. He'd barely seen Kia the last few weeks, let alone 'screwed' her. He felt like Rome was blaming the problems he and Kia were having on him, and it was making him even angrier that Rome wasn't even listening to him.

"You would think after 26 years bro you would have a bit more trust," Brian spat at Rome; he was getting angrier by the second.

"A bit more trust… get fucked Brian."

Brian picked up the receiver, and started dialling Kia's number. With that action Rome lunged for his friend and was met with a quick upper cut to the jaw.

The situation escalated, both men throwing punches and yelling at each other. It was when glass began smashing Morgan flew off her bed and out the door.

"HEY!" She yelled loudly jogging up to Rome and Brian, locked in combat in the kitchen.

Rome backed off for a minute realising they had company, "don't be such a damn pussy Roman." Brian pushed him again, not even realising Morgan was there with them.

"What'd you just call me pig?"

"You fuckin heard me, blame all your goddamn problems on me – every single time shit goes wrong it's my fault."

"Because it is dickhead," Rome threw a punch and the small break they'd had was well and truly over, for every punch the dark man threw his friend, now opponent was throwing one back.

Rome knew he was getting out of his depth a bit now, he'd never admit it outloud but Brian was always the better fighter; he was so much quicker than Rome… Brian was _always_ better than him.

Better fighter, better driver, better at football, better at soccer, always better with women, he had the better apartment; the better, faster car; the bigger television, the better stereo, the nicer cutlery to really go out on a limb.

Brian couldn't understand where this was coming from, he didn't know what was making Rome the way he was – it wasn't just Kia this went a lot deeper than that.

In the second Brian had tried to make sense of what was going on was when Roman had gotten the advantage and pushed Brian back so hard he lost his footing completely and went crashing to the ground into a pile of broken, sharp shards of glass.

He felt a searing pain in his back, and the warm trickle of blood escaping the multiple wounds he had just received. Pushing himself back off the ground before Rome could do anything else to him; he rose to stand and started landing punches hard and fast into Rome's body and face.

Morgan had backed right off afraid she would get tangled up in the yelling, punching, kicking mess in front of her, but when Brian hit the ground and got up again with blood all over his back she knew she had to step in and fast.

At first she had wanted them to sort out whatever it was between them and just leave them to it, but now Rome's left eye socket was three times the size of his right, and his lip was trickling blood down onto his shirt and Brian's grey t-shirt was becoming more and more blood soaked by the minute, and his cheek swollen and grazed; it was more than time to separate them before someone got very seriously hurt, and their house was wrecked.

She took a deep breath and pushed herself in between them, placing one hand on each man's chest and pushing them apart with as much strength as her small frame had in it. She was very strong and incredibly fit for her build because of her job; however with two men who both stood at nearly a foot taller than her, and both considerably heavier than her struggling to get at each other she was working quite hard to separate them.

"KNOCK IT OFF NOW!" she bellowed, Rome still cursing at Brian and struggling against Morgan to get at him again. Brian stopped immediately, not wanting to get her hurt at all, and getting angrier and angrier now with Rome for still trying to get at him. If he dared put a scratch on her Brian was going in for the kill; he wasn't going to stop.

Years before he was banned from working with Morgan by Tanner; Jason, Morgan, Brian and his partner Leo were all involved in bringing down a large liquor store hold up, and as Morgan went to cuff one of the perps he had overpowered her and punched her square in the jaw knocking her backwards.

As he went to have another go at her Brian ran over and had kicked him as hard as he could just below his right ear, which had eventuated into a perforated ear drum. After having launched himself on the struggling man landing as many hits into him as possible Jason had gotten involved helping Morgan to pull him away from the yelling, crying, and cursing mess on the ground.

Unfortunately for the three of them, Sergent Peter Tanner had arrived a little too early and subsequently gave Brian 4 weeks suspension, and banned him from working closely with Morgan again.

"Rome please," Morgan's voice softened as she held him back as much as she possibly could.

Brian wanted to have another snip at the restrained man but the injuries on his back were catching up with him and he was beginning to feel very much off-colour from the constant aching.

He reached around and touched the back of his shirt; he pulled his fingers away and saw the red moisture on his fingertips.

Rome stood back from Morgan, trying to get her out of the way before he caught Brian off guard and got into it again, until he saw the look in her eyes as she watched him staring at his hand – the blood on his fingertips.

She was motionless and her face had paled, Rome thought she must've had a bit of a problem with blood – he was surprised for an FBI agent to be like that, but it could happen to anyone. It never occurred to him it wasn't the sight of blood itself, but the sight of 'his' blood.

"Sit down," Morgan began ushering Brian over to a stool on the other side of the kitchen bench, she pulled the back of his shirt up gently and he leant down with his head in his hands; his back so grazed from the glass that every little movement he made caused him at the least, great discomfort.

Rome stood there still fuming, but motionless observing the scene. He was just about to open his mouth to let loose another few insults he had compiled in the moment of silence since Morgan split them up, but was beaten to it.

"Out."

"What?"

"You heard me Rome, out of here now," she motioned with her hand at him.

Rome moved to go down into his room; she stopped him, "no out of the house, right now."

"_What!_"

"Listen, Romey I love you like a brother – but right now you're annoying the shit out of me, you both are; and you being here right now really isn't going to solve anything. Go and take a drive, whatever; just cool right off before you come back here tonight ok."

Rome's mouth moved, however he wasn't producing any sound – he was a little shocked at her actually. If anything Brian should've been the one to go; slap a towel on his back and get him out of there – let him go cry to Kia.

Rome just shrugged it off, and barged with keys and wallet in hand out of the front door. Shortly after he snapped the door shut behind him the engine of the Mercielago revved up and the tyres squealed down the street.

Brian looked up from his blurred gaze of the patterned marble of the bench to see Morgan leaning over it to rinse out a now quite red cloth in the sink.

"Hate to say it," she started, while turning off the tap and squeezing the water from the cloth before looking at Brian.

"Stitches right?"

"Well, one of these is pretty nasty so probably – at least 8 or 9, and I'd rather see it cleaned up at the hospital properly; I don't really want to miss any glass or anything like that, and there's really not a whole lot I can do to stop that from happening here."

"Shit!" Morgan cursed as she accidentally stepped on a piece of glass, her heel now stinging.

She hopped back to the sink and pulled some tissues from the box next to the microwave and wiped at her heel, before getting some more and dampening them and wiping her heel off, she could see the glass on the wet tissue; luckily it was big enough for her to get out easily.

"You ok?"

"I'm fine, just had to step on a piece of glass for good measure," she sounded quite frustrated.

Before she could say anything else, Brian passed her a pair of her black thongs and she slipped them on before hopping out of the kitchen.

"Well this is just fantastic," she hissed as she hopped back toward her bedroom.

"Do you want a towel or something for your back?" she asked while taking the keys to her black Mercedes Benz SLK 55 AMG from her bedside table.

"Yeah I'll get it," he walked off toward the bathroom and opened the linen closet up, pulling out one of his old beach towels.

"Ok, you've got everything you need?"

"Yeah," Brian mumbled back before sighing.

"You ok?"

"Never been better."

"And it shows smart-ass," she just shook her head at him, "come on."

When they got to the Emergency Room, Brian had been let straight in to have the grazes on his back cleaned and stitches in the larger cut on his right shoulder-blade.

Morgan sat in the waiting room with her knees under her chin, staring at the small television playing a Spanish soap opera.

Javier's wife had just cheated with his step brother, and her mother – the evil, and very bitter landlord of the building was plotting revenge on the daughter of her ex-lover for taking away some of her tenants.

It was all becoming quite complicated as Brian's voice could be heard in the background thanking the nurse who had patched him up.

"Go get a few more stitches would ya, this is really getting heavy."

Brian let out a mock laugh and grabbed her around the wrist, pulling her from the chair.

His actions earned them a few side glances, as he continued to pull her out of the emergency room.

She dug her heels in, making it somewhat harder for him; she was trying harder and harder to make a bit of a scene – just to lighten his mood up a bit. She knew he wasn't mad at her at all, but she didn't feel like spending much time with pissed off Brian, she was aiming for even-tempered Brian.

Struggling to get her out of the ER he let go of her wrist and grabbed her around the waist, pushing her out the door from behind.

"Would you just get out..side!"

As soon as he got her out into the night air, he couldn't help but laugh as she let all her weight fall back on him – knowing she was just trying to cool him down and make him laugh a little.

She stood up straight and laughed, knowing she'd reached her goal and pressed a few buttons along the way for good-measure.

"Do you feel like going home?" he asked looking out the window on the drive home, a light sheet of rain was streaming from the sky now.

"Huh?" she asked, his voice stirring her from a daze as she drove along the streets on autopilot.

"Do you feel like going home?"

"Not really, have you had anything to eat?"

He shook his head, "how's something quick sound – not really in the mood to be going outside of this car."

"Oh; and here I was thinking you were suggesting we go out dancing all night.."

He let out a sarcastic laugh at her comment before they both agreed on Burger King.

She parked the car on a point overlooking the beach, as the sheets of rain still whipped over the car, pushed faster and faster by the howling wind. Morgan settled back into the soft leather seat, putting a French fry onto her tongue.

Brian unwrapped his burger, they'd been sitting in silence for about 10 minutes; it was just comfortable. Both eating and listening to the rain sweeping over the car, and watching the storm brewing over the choppy ocean, the waves breaking violently over the rocks.

"So what happened tonight?" Morgan broke the silence.

"He is pretty convinced I'm with Kia; she still hasn't told him about the baby. I think he saw us this afternoon – obviously before you got there."

She nodded, "how do you think he's going to take the news?" she asked before taking a sip of her orange juice.

"If he loves her like he says he does – he'll take it pretty hard for a little while until he gets used to the idea."

She smiled, leaning her head against the cold glass of the window, "it was about more than Kia though wasn't it?"

Brian sighed and nodded, rubbing his temple, "anytime something isn't going right in his life it's immediately something to do with me; that's just normal for him. But this time it was different – I don't know why, it just was."

"He was actually kinda scary."

Brian laughed lightly and chewed his lip. After a short silence he spoke again, "did he hurt you at all; when you were trying to break us up – did he hurt you?"

Morgan looked at him for the first time since they'd been pulled up, which meant she hadn't looked at him at all for nearly half an hour. "No, in a way I was expecting it – but no. He pushed me a bit, but didn't hurt me."

Brian nodded and rested his throbbing head against the cold window, sighing with relief as the chilled glass soothed his aching jaw.

"Are you ok?" she asked, looking from the window to him, his face slightly illuminated from the lightning storm around them – she could feel his beautiful eyes on her.

"Yeah, just feelin a bit shady right now is all. And a bit confused about what happened tonight."

An hour had passed, and the clock on the dash read 9:30pm.

"I'm sorry you know."

Brian looked over her silhouette, his face twisted with confusion, "about what? You haven't done anything."

"I'm not talking about tonight – just in general. I'm sorry, god I've been angry at you for so long I can't even remember how it started."

Brian's heart beat a little faster, he was just as remorseful as she was about how things had gotten between them, and all the shitty things he had said and done to her.

"Me too."

She felt better after hearing him return the apology; her heart had stopped pounding against her rib cage, and had settled down again into a quick rhythm.

"I think it started about 2 weeks after we met up again."

"When you guys finished up?"

"Yeah. I tried to talk to you that afternoon when I took the sedan back; you kinda let me have it." He looked over at her to see her reaction.

"Oh yeah! I was so mad you'd gotten off scott-free, and then there were a few other things; just stupid bitter stuff…" she chewed on the corner of her thumb. She was enraged by the fact Bilkins had given him a pat on the back after everything he had done – it made her feel like everything she'd been through after he left didn't achieve anything.

And then the audacity he had to try and talk to her, after taking her car; having their house busted into by cops; after ruining their life, while he played coy with Monica – that wasn't on for Morgan.

"So why were _you_ so pissed at _me_?" she asked him, moving around in her seat to get comfortable.

"You were pissed at me, plus some other stupid bitter stuff."

She nodded; she guessed it was for the same stupid bitter reasons she had for being so angry with him.

They fell into a silence again, the rain had gotten even heavier than before, and thunder was rolling through the wild, dark sky. Brian settled down into the seat as he stared at the scenery around him; he didn't mind being in a silence, if anything he preferred it.

"You think he's talking to Kia or what?" he decided to break the silence again.

"I don't know…" Morgan trailed off quietly.

She was savouring every moment they had together, knowing that she may never have this again; the prospects of moving away from him were getting harder and harder – yet better at the same time. Morgan always knew it wasn't going to be an easy thing to move, in moving she was completely closing their door, and in staying she was just going to set herself up for misery.

"I just want this resolved, it needs to be resolved Brian."

Brian looked at her when she used his name and understood her meaning exactly, things were getting thicker by the day with Vincent and the impending run, they now only had 3 weeks left until D-Day.

As much as he looked forward to bringing Deluka down and finally being able to go home, he knew it meant no more Morgan – ever. The chances of seeing her again were getting slimmer and slimmer; she was moving a few hundred miles away and he rarely went to New York.

In a few years he could see her most likely happily married with a dog and baby on the way to some cookie cutter guy who treated her like an absolute princess, who never made stupid decisions or made her cry; someone far better than he.

Brian's heart had been breaking over and over again for 3 years straight and he felt like he deserved it. Mia wasn't just a way of getting into the team, in the end he did find himself that little more interested than he should have been – in no way did he feel even remotely about her like he did about Morgan; there was just something there he felt like he had to conquer.

"He's convinced I'm always trying to be better than him."

"Why?"

Brian laughed, "I've been trying to figure that out for the last 15 years."

She laughed at her own stupid question, "I think he feels a bit inadequate sometimes; he thinks everything comes so easily to you."

"What?" Brian's face twisted, "you're kidding right?"

She shook her head, "I mean he's never exactly _said_ it to me; you can just tell when he speaks about you sometimes that is what he's thinking."

"Oh yeah I've had it really easy…" he said sarcastically.

"I know it hasn't been; but you've got a way of making everything look like one big party, like it's all good when you're really going through hell," she paused, "and that's what is bugging your friend."

"That's probably it…"

He reclined his seat back and stretched out, one hand supporting his head and the other drumming his leg lazily.

Morgan sunk down in her seat also, trying to fight the urge she had to move over into his lap and kiss him passionately.

Trying desperately to stop herself from doing what her body was trying to force her to do, she could feel his eyes on her again and it was making her more and more uncomfortable, because she knew if they stayed as they were she would more than likely make a fool of herself – there was no way in hell he wanted her like she did him.

The small dashboard clock read 11:45pm, she was stunned by the fact they had been sitting there like that for over 3 hours; but it had to come to an end – the rain had stopped, and if she stayed like that for any longer she was going to do something she would most likely regret later.

"Shit, we've been here for 3 hours!" Brian was amazed at how fast time had passed with her.

"Yeah, I know!" she tried to compose herself; she straightened her shirt and pushed some hair back from her face.

He started to open the passenger side door, she sat up straighter, "what are you doin?"

"I'm driving home; you look like you're about to fall asleep."

He was right in saying that, Morgan was exhausted.

She didn't protest, just opened up her door and got out of the car into the cool wind before moving around into the passenger seat as Brian closed the drivers door and moved the seat back and up again.

Brian cruised back to the house, every so often sneaking a peak over at her, fast asleep; her head resting against the window, the orange street lights illuminating her face.

He stopped the engine of the black Mercedes Benz at their house at 12 am and looked over at her, still asleep. He gently rubbed her arm to wake her up before taking the keys out of the ignition; she stirred and took a sharp breath before looking around at her surroundings.

"Come on sleepy mouse, we're home."

She made a muffled, croaky noise that at the time was her version of speaking.

They both walked slowly back up the steps into the mess that was originally their home. Morgan looked around at the chaotic arrangement of things after Brian and Rome's altercation.

Morgan's eyelids were getting heavier and heavier as she dragged her heavy feet toward her room. Lights were being switched off behind her, but she wasn't really conscious enough to see exactly what was going on.

"Night," she said sleepily as she pushed her door open and fell onto her bed, asleep as soon as her head hit her pillow.

Brian walked back out into the lounge room after she had closed her bedroom door, the kitchen was a mess; glass was scattered on the floor in the kitchen, mixed with blood; the bench was a mess with the bloodied cloth Morgan had been using to clean his back before they left for the hospital and the rest of the area was in a general disarray.

* * *

Rome sat on Kia's lounge room floor regarding her words very carefully; he had misread what he saw the afternoon before completely, there was now a whole new meaning. 


	16. I Feel You

_Hi all, here's another chapter; hopefully someone is still reading this - I know I don't post very often. I decided to put this up here tonight in between college assignments, importing old CDs into my iTunes library and general coldness.. So here it is - enjoy and let me know what you think. _

_ I actually cut a little bit off this chapter which will be the start of chapter 17 - however I'm not going to give any time frame for when that will be up; I really don't have much time anymore between work, college and trying to have a life in between those two. _

_ Hope you're all well, and until next time take care!_

_- songs featured: Hurt - Nine Inch Nails (although I make reference to the Johnny Cash cover rather than the NIN original), 3 Doors Down - I Feel You _

* * *

_They gave me a life_

_It's not so easy to live_

_And then they send me on my way_

_I've left my love and forgot my dreams_

_And lost them all along the way_

The door slammed behind him, the loud bang it made did not even closely rival the pounding coming from his chest. This was it; his life was never going to be the same. He had made a fatal choice.

'_I owe you a 10 second car,'_ his own words swirled around his tired brain as he stared at the dejected character in the mirror.

'This is it.' He awoke from his stupor by pulling his towel from the shower, shoving it into his bag, and taking one final look at the piece of engraved metal; his dreams from the past – and his dreams for the future, as he hung it on the corner of the medicine cabinet before leaving the house.

His truck wasn't going to get him anywhere anytime soon, but the shiny red machine to the left could easily take him as far as he needed to go. He raced back into the house, and removed the keys from their hook in the hallway. Morgan didn't deserve this – but it was his only choice.

The car glided along the expressway, purring like the proverbial kitten. His hands loosened, then tightened on the wheel; he kept at a steady pace, the car attracted enough attention alone without him doing anything more.

Road signs began throwing themselves in front of his eyes, one after the other as he shifted gears, the traffic thinning more and more as he pressed on. On sunset he read the words 'Arizona' and felt his stomach kick over – he would never be the same again.

After that first race his brain started to kick into overdrive, it was now he started to think about the consequences of his actions, the last 2 months playing themselves out in his head as he headed toward Texas.

_Those are little things you say_

_When words mean so much_

_You never back down_

_When they all shy away_

_You always listen to me_

Bly pulled up outside of the small yellow house – Brian's old truck was parked in the driveway, yet Morgan's car had vanished; Police cars lined the street.

Morgan flew out of the car and ran up the pathway to her house; the door had been kicked open, the wood splintered quite severely. Officers she had never even met before pawed through her home; her mind was working overtime trying to understand what was going on.

Tanner was sitting on the small couch in the living room, rubbing his temple while talking on his mobile phone. As soon as he saw Morgan he ended the conversation he was having and stood up to meet her.

"Tanner, what the hell is going on?!"

"Sit down Morgan," Tanner said softly, she had never seen him look so empty in the entire 4 years she had known him.

"No, not until you tell me why your guys here decided to come and wreck-up my house!"

"Sarge! I found this." A young officer came from the bathroom, swinging Brian's badge from his index finger.

Tanner regarded the young officer before rubbing his face, "Morgan, please just sit down a second."

She slumped onto the couch; she had never been more confused in her life.

"What's going on?" she didn't know what to think, immediately she began to come to the worst conclusions, Brian was dead. But then she didn't understand why Tanner and half the squad would have busted into her house.

"Brian's gone," Tanner looked her straight in the eye.

"Where?"

"That's what we want you to tell us." A tall dark man stepped into her living room and stood across from them.

Morgan looked from the man to Tanner, "he's still on the case isn't he?"

"Morgan, he let the mark go this morning. If you know where he is you have to tell us right now," Tanner's words clouded her mind.

"I, I have no idea. Tanner, I haven't seen or spoken to him for nearly 2 weeks."

The other man had left the room already and a steady stream of officers began leaving the house.

Tanner put a hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze; he knew she was being honest with him, and was just as shocked as he to learn what Brian had done.

"What happened?"

_What do I get_

_To get me through these sleepless nights?_

_And what do I have to hold_

_When no one's there to hold me tight?_

_And what do I see_

_The only thing that gets me through this?_

_That's what I feel_

_And I feel you_

----

Rome carefully opened the front door of the quiet house; it was still fairly early, the only noises that cut the silence were the low hum of the refrigerator and the occasional squeak of a floorboard as he trod carefully towards his bedroom.

The night had been long for Roman, he'd falsely accused his best friend of sleeping with his girlfriend – gotten into a major brawl with him, and then quite possibly injured their housemate and friend when she tried to break them apart, and then to top it all off he had yelled at his girlfriend and potentially ruined their relationship.

Brian got out of bed around 7 am, the house was silent and he knew he had a lot of cleaning up to do before Morgan woke up and felt like she had to do it. He had no idea Rome was home, the night before was a night he wouldn't forget for quite a while.

The last shards of glass were wrapped up and placed in the bin, the floor was mopped and everything straightened up as another bedroom door opened, Morgan moved mechanically towards the bathroom, her hair was sitting in a wavy mess and she had fallen asleep in her clothes from the night before.

Morgan stripped off the clothing that she had been wearing now for far longer than she could tolerate and moved into the running water of the shower. She had begun to wake up fully and remembered the mess she'd most likely be cleaning up well before Brian would surface.

---

_**NYE 2001 – Miami, Florida**_

"Happy New Year, Bullit."

"You too Sukes," Brian and Suki gave each other a hug at the end of the countdown.

Tej's garage was swarming with bodies, Chinese lanterns were hung about to give the dance floor and bar area light, along with the usual barrage of 'Happy New Year' tinsel ornaments.

He sat back into the canvas chair he hadn't really left since the party had started; sipping on a Budweiser and looking around at the people dancing and celebrating the New Year. He was praying this year would bring him some sort of happiness, or at least be as stable as it could be for an ex-cop/current fugitive on the run from the law.

---

Morgan woke with a start and looked around the darkened room; she could hear a faint coughing from someone down the hall from her and the ticking of her bedside clock. Rubbing her face she flipped open her mobile phone and realised the she'd missed the New Year coming in – the first time in years.

She'd found it quite easy to miss the things in life she used to find important since she'd been at Quantico. Her mobile phone now said 12:10am 1/1/02. It wasn't long until she was going to become a full fledged agent of the FBI and start the new life she'd been longing for since her old one had so abruptly imploded.

Kicking back the blankets she began to think about Brian for the first time since she had been in training, there was many a time she would want to think about him but would never allow herself to do it – it was time to get him out of her system.

---

Brian threw away his empty bottle and proceeded down to his houseboat in a feeble attempt to get some rest – he knew the task was going to be considerably hard due to the raging party around him, but the New Year had only made him more miserable.

Pulling off his shirt and jeans he fell back onto his bed reclining with his hands behind his head. In the last year he had lost the love of his life, his job, his house and his family, he more than helped fuel the break down of the Toretto's lives and to top it all off he was probably not too far from the top of the LAPD's shit list.

He allowed himself to think about Morgan; what her life was like now. Was she still living in their house? Was she still a cop? Had she moved on?

Since the 'break up' with Mia he had barely even spoken to another girl besides Suki, he had to accept the fact that his life was never going to be the same again and that he would most likely never see or speak to Morgan again. It was time to get back on the horse and stop being miserable.

----

Rome sat up in bed; he hadn't slept at all since he'd been at home. He could hear the shower running and had heard someone out in the kitchen most likely cleaning. He gathered Morgan was in the kitchen, Brian in the shower. He decided to go out and apologise to Morgan before Brian was around to have another round with him.

As bad as the night before had been, he wouldn't have changed it for the world; after the hundreds of attempts they had both made at getting along, and after all the horrible things they had done to each other over the last one and half years he truly felt like they were comfortable again.

If he and Rome hadn't had the falling out, the opportunity for a conversation like that with Morgan may never have arisen.

A noise in the doorway awoke Brian from his thoughts as he put the last of the dishes in the dishwasher.

Rome choked for a second, not expecting to see Brian there.

"Can I talk to you real quick?"

Brian looked at him right in the eyes, Rome could tell he was still pissed off at him for the night before, "you can go and fuck yourself Roman."

Morgan heard noises outside and began to quickly tie her hair up and button her denim shorts. She did not need a repeat of the night before.

Brian began walking towards Rome; Rome's jaw began to tighten as his body anticipated what was heading for it.

"Get out of my way," Brian stopped in front of him.

In a momentary state of shock Rome moved out of the doorway obediently.

Morgan stood just outside the bathroom door watching the scene in front of her, Rome standing in the doorway to the lounge room – a shocked expression playing on his features, and Brian walking straight past him into his room before leaving once more, car keys in hand.

Brian took the steps two at a time as he ripped the door of the Aston Martin open and slammed it before gunning the motor and heading as far away as possible from the house.

Rome looked at Morgan, she had become active once more bundling up her dirty clothes and wet towel and heading into the tiny laundry. Rome followed her up the hall.

"I'm sorry about last night girl; I didn't mean to hurt you in any way aiight."

"You didn't hurt me Roman, and I'll accept that apology."

She gave him a weak smile before closing the lid on the washing machine and turning it on.

"He's pretty mad at me."

"Brian? Yeah and Rome, I really can't blame him right now."

Morgan walked past him and down into the lounge room, she looked around the kitchen and lounge area and saw it was spotless. She had to suppress the small smile that she felt brewing in her.

Roman followed her down the hall and flopped into an overstuffed one seater across from her.

"What happened last night?"

Brian manoeuvred the speeding car between others as he tore down the highway with no particular destination.

The CD player went from Nirvana to Johnny Cash, the most fitting song possible – Hurt. He pulled up at the beach he and Morgan had been at last night, sliding down in his seat he stared out at the ocean before feeling a violent rush of anger course through him before punching the steering wheel.

Starting the engine again he headed toward the 'sure thing's' house. He was nearly there when his haste caught up with him. Turning the car around he drove over to Drew's house, he needed to talk to someone else; someone who couldn't toy with his brain afterwards.

_I hurt myself today_

_To see if I still feel;_

_I focus on the pain_

_The only thing that's real_

_The needle tears a hole_

_The old familiar sting_

_Try to kill it all away_

_But I remember everything_

"I don't know what came over me last night… I've fucked it all up," he paused "Kia told me – and I screamed at her and left. Why didn't y'all tell me first?"

Morgan's face twisted, "Rome it was not my place to say anything, and I don't think you gave Brian much of a chance."

"I maybe shouldn't have let it go as far as I did between you two last night – but you cannot put the rest on me," Morgan started to get more than a little irritated with Rome in that moment.

"You can't put anything about last night on anyone but yourself Roman, not me, not Kia, not Brian – nobody!" She stood up feeling her body getting tense.

_What have I become?_

_My sweetest friend_

_Everyone I know goes away _

_In the end_

_You could have it all_

_My empire of dirt_

_I will let you down; I will make you hurt_

"But you saw what was happening last night; you coulda stopped half that shit!"

"Roman I'm not getting into this with you, YOU lost control last night, YOU started the fight last night, YOU wouldn't listen… YOU screwed up. YOU not anyone else," Morgan walked into the kitchen trying to cool down.

"I don't need to be brawlin with you too right now girl," Rome rubbed his face with his hands.

"Well it's about time you start taking responsibility for your actions, you do that then we don't have a problem."

Rome heard the speech Brian had given him in front of the customs building playing in his head all over again when Morgan said that to him. She was right; but he didn't feel like admitting that just yet.

If anything he was expecting a little sympathy, but he knew now she knew the score completely and wasn't going to mollycoddle him in anyway.

_I wear this crown of thorns_

_Upon my liars chair_

_Full of broken thoughts_

_I cannot repair_

_Beneath the stains of time_

_The feeling disappears_

_You are someone else_

_I am still right here_

Morgan decided to leave the house for a while, she picked up the keys to her car and put on her big brown sunglasses and a pair of black flip flops before leaving Roman alone in the lounge room to think about what he'd done.

She drove over to Drew's, needing to talk to someone who didn't know about the past.

Morgan walked up the barely visible path to Drew's shabby accommodation, not noticing the blue Vanquish parked in the driveway behind his silver Land Cruiser.

Brian and Drew were in the middle of watching Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle when they heard someone banging on the door.

"DrewDrew!!" Morgan yelled out as she stopped banging on the sky blue door, the paint was splintering badly.

Drew got up to answer the door as Brian's head hit the wall behind him, as glad as he was to have 'repaired' the friendship he had with Morgan, she wasn't exactly topping his list of people to see at the current time, he didn't need the intensity.

_What have I become?_

_My sweetest friend_

_Everyone I know goes away_

_In the end_

_You could have it all _

_My empire of dirt_

_I will let you down; I will make you hurt_

"Well ain't I just one popular motherfucker today."

Morgan smiled before giving him a hug, "you're never on my shit list baby."

"Who else is here?"

"Your little roomie."

Morgan raised an eyebrow, "which one?"

By the time she had asked that question they were already in Drew's lounge room and she had her answer.

"Ohhhh, didn't break up the love-in did I?"

"You're so not my type man," Brian looked over Drew and back at the TV.

Drew's bottom lip started to shake, "I'm hurtin real deep bruh."

Morgan flopped down onto the large beanbag Drew was sitting on, making Drew shift over to be able to comfortably accommodate the two of them.

"What brings you to the Love Shack?"

"Just comin to chill, pick up that CD you were supposed to make me."

--

Rome was quite subdued when he returned to Kia's doorstep that afternoon. He had a lot of apologising to do; but he also had a lot to get his head around.

He couldn't be anyone's father.

His soft knocking halted once she opened the door, she'd been crying. Roman pulled her into a hug and knew that what he was feeling had to be real.

"Do you wanna come in?" Kia asked softly, her head resting on his chest.

Rome nodded and she led him into her small house, he shut the door behind them.

--

"Where's Rome been lately?" Monica asked Brian while she sat at the table with him one morning, she was in between texts to James; Brian flipping through the paper.

He shrugged and took a large bite of toast.

Rome hadn't returned to the house for nearly 3 days, Monica hadn't seen him for well over a week as she herself only made appearances at the house every so often. These days it was mainly just Morgan and Brian who were there constantly.

Monica looked around the room thinking of some sort of conversation starter; she hated sitting in silence, "so you and Morgan are getting along now?"

Brian paused halfway through chewing his second mouthful of toast and nodded before swallowing and following up with a sip of his still quite hot, black coffee.

A sigh escaped Monica's lips; this really wasn't going anywhere.

All of a sudden Morgan came bounding down the hallway, black hipster pants, off-white lace and cotton vintage top and a silver pendent hanging from her neck; hair still a little wet and falling around her face in damp waves.

"HEY!" Morgan jogged over and gave Monica a bear hug.

"Hey stranger!" Monica smiled, she didn't think it possible in the beginning but over the months they had been there she and Morgan had gotten to be quite good friends.

"How've you been? Oh my god I haven't seen in you ages!" Morgan started making herself toast as she caught up with Monica.

Brian tuned out as the girls 'nattered' on about what they both had been up to in the entire week they had missed seeing each other – he kept on flicking through the paper, taking his time and reading just about every word on each page.

He hadn't spoken to Roman in a week; and wasn't planning on it anytime soon. Brian would suck it up and work with him, but at that minute he didn't want to deal with the other man's bullshit.

Brian knew as soon as he'd start talking to Rome again that he would be barraged with all Rome's problems and how horrible his life was at that minute – not having any idea of the hardship his friend had been living through for years.

Roman was always the friend he could goof around with and get into trouble with; he was never the kind of best friend he could talk to about life, about girl troubles – about anything but cars, hot women and football.

They were always partners in crime – but Brian never felt he could share anymore than what was on the surface with him.

There were only 4 people in the world he really felt he could talk to about nearly everything – Jason (within reason of course), his mother, Suki and Morgan. He'd given himself over completely to Morgan; she knew everything there was to know about him – all the deep, dark secrets, the thoughts and what made him tick.

Even when they weren't on good terms he still knew he could trust she wouldn't disrespect what they had had previously and he hoped she knew he would never disrespect her either.

"Brian, have some manners."

Startled he looked up from the paper, "wha?"

"Monica and I are here trying to have a conversation and you won't shut up! Seriously, put a sock in it," Morgan was having him on, she'd been trying all the ways she knew as of late to get him to snap out of the rut he'd driven himself into.

An hour later Morgan had tidied her hair up into a ponytail, and danced her way out the door; Monica had gone to see Markham, Rome was AWOL and Brian was sitting on the couch twiddling his thumbs.

After another fifteen minutes he'd settled back into the soft cushions only paying short bursts of attention to the garble that was on television. Before he could really do much about it he'd fallen asleep and into a rather inappropriate dream.

"Oh that wasn't good," he shot up off the couch as he scrambled for his ringing mobile phone.

Summoned once more to the Deluka compound he trudged out the door and into the car.

The radio was providing some pleasant background noise as Morgan did more paperwork; she was amazed at how much paperwork she was actually subjected to at the FBI, she used to do more in a week than she would in three weeks working in her clerical position for Deluka.

Her mind wandered to a place it really shouldn't have been so early on in the day; but after 3 months of nothing she was feeling quite deprived – especially after seeing the spring in Monica's step. She missed the new relationship glow, having someone to smooch and cuddle with.

'God I need to get laid,' he thought as he pulled up in the driveway.

'It'd be great to be content again,' Morgan pulled out another file and flipped through the pages, her ears pricked to the sound of With or Without You by U2.

_I can't live with, or without you._

Brian had been sitting at the table by the pool with Deluka and his goons for about ten minutes when he heard high heels clicking on the cobble stones.

Maybe she knew it; maybe she didn't – but every man at that table had his eyes on her as she walked towards them, paperwork tucked under her arm, breeze moving her fringe from her face, midriff showing just a little bit between the waistband of her pants and the uneven edges of her blouse.

She sat the papers in front of Vincent gently with a smile and turned around and kept on her way. One goon looked Brian's way, "you live with _that_?"

"I live with _her_, yes."

"You hittin that?" the other gold chained, musclebound follower asked.

Brian gave him a stern look, "gentleman we've got business to attend to," Deluka ended the conversation before it could get out of hand; he knew Brian had a soft spot for 'Mariana'.

He left Deluka's a couple of hours later, a little irritated, a little tired, about 20 000 dollars richer also.

Brian was looking forward to seeing the new bank balance when he got home – the nice little paycheque he was getting care of the United States Government kept coming in every fortnight, he imagined it was getting to be quite juicy. He hadn't touched it the entire time he had been living in the Bahamas; he made his living money with Vincent, and a bit on the side racing every so often; something he kept completely to himself.

Rome had constant access to his pay from both the government and Vincent and spent most of his time spending it, buying Kia everything she wanted, refuelling his car every second day, and various other completely vain expenses.

On the drive home Brian ran his fingers through his now quite long curls and decided it was time to get them lopped off again. He returned home an hour later with short hair, and a clean shaven face.

A few hours had passed and Brian moved out onto the veranda, beer in hand as he decided to settle into the large hammock and enjoy the cool breeze coming from the nearby ocean.

Another hour had passed and he didn't think it possible to be more comfortable than he was laid back in the hammock, his ankles crossed and his quite perspired beer resting on his hip with a small mouthful of liquid left in it.

A nearby engine whirring down broke the natural ambient noise waking him from his dreamlike state a little, figuring it to be Rome until he heard the same clicking heels from earlier on in the day.

He immediately relaxed, not even bothering to open his eyes to acknowledge her presence as she climbed the stairs.

She walked straight past him also and into the house, coming out not too long after and rocking the hammock, he cracked an eye open to see what was going on.

"C'mon we've gotta go."

He opened both of his eyes up and moved his beer out of the way, "where?"

Morgan kept looking at him; he got the message straight away – Bilkins.

"Give me a minute," he said sitting up and moving out of the hammock.

"I'll be in my car."

She kept walking down the stairs, her attire was now quite casual; sandblasted hipster 'slouch' style jeans, and a navy and white striped singlet top, she'd also let her hair fall out of the pony tail it was in and in it's natural waves below her shoulders.

Morgan started the car up and sunk back into her leather seat playing around with the CD's she had trying to find something worthy of her attention for the drive ahead.

Brian had joined her and they were now driving away from the house, "we gotta listen to this?"

Morgan looked from the road over to him, sliding her sunglasses down her nose to look over them, "my car, I'm driving – you deal with it; or walk, k?"

"Plus there's nothing wrong with this anyway," she shifted down gears to slow the car down to stop at a red light.

"Glad you think so."

Brian rubbed his temple, one area they rarely agreed on was music; especially it came to the club type mixes she had playing right now – they belonged in the 'club' and no where else in the man's opinion.

Rock This Party by Bob Sinclar began to meld through the sounds of Hush Boy by Basement Jaxx and Morgan turned the volume up, "I came to rock this party, cos I can make ya feel alright," she began to sing along and beat the steering wheel.

A smile crept over his face, she could do that to him quite easily; he knew she didn't give a damn about looking like a goof; she just had a good time. No matter how tied down she could seem sometimes he knew there was a true free spirit running through her veins.

--

**January 1998 – Barstow, California**

"This is going to last a very long time; mark my words."

Barry looked over at his wife as she combed her hair at the nightstand across from the bed, "I don't know; she's not really his type."

Grace shook her head with a little cryptic smile playing on her features. She twisted her hairtie around her grey flecked blonde hair and moved over onto her side of the bed.

"I think she's exactly his type."

Barry turned out the lights as his wife's words circled around his head, the girl Brian had brought home with him was a genuinely lovely young girl; but she to him just wasn't what he considered to be his stepson's type.

She wasn't a leggy blonde floozy; she was a dainty brunette who looked like she would make him slow down and take his time – not Brian's type at all in his mind.

Grace fell asleep shortly after that, Barry lay awake; he had been in Brian and Jake's lives for a very long time – but he never really understood them. Not like a father figure should, Jake albeit was a lot easier to get a long with than Brian; Barry and Brian had had too much of a past to really make a 'go of it'.

Brian pulled the blankets up around himself; the lounge room was rather chilly that night. The young man still fuming at his stepfather for making him and his girlfriend stay in separate rooms.

Thirty minutes later he was starting to become a little wearier before he heard someone clearing their throat to get his attention, he sat up and Barry turned on the lamp near to Brian's mattress which was located where the coffee table once was in between the sofas and the television cabinet.

"What?" Brian became even more irritated by his stepfather than he had been before.

"Came to check on me, see I haven't gone up and slept in my own room instead of down here on the floor?"

"That's just the rules Brian, and I'm getting sick of the attitude."

Barry rubbed his face, he was on the receiving end of an incredibly cold stare from Brian, "I don't deserve this, I'm your…"

Brian sat right up straight and looked him dead in the eye, "no you're not – you married my mother. Maybe Jake calls you 'dad' from time to time, but mark my words man you are nothing more to me than my mother's husband – got it?"

"I'd consider my actions carefully Brian." Barry got up and began to leave the room before the conversation they were having escalated into something more than it needed to be.

"You'd have to get up pretty early for that old man." Brian fell back and pulled his blankets up.

The little encounter with Barry had been over for a couple of hours and he was nearing on sleep again when he heard soft footsteps coming down the stairs and heading in his direction – thinking it was his mother he began to defend himself.

"He started all of that."

"Started all of what?" his mood immediately lightened as he recognized Morgan's voice.

"Nothin', what's wrong baby?"

"It's freakin' cold; that's what's wrong!" she hissed as she knelt down beside him on the floor.

He laughed and pulled her under the blankets with him, she wrapped her arms around him and he shifted over so she could get her head on the pillow also.

"What was going on down here before?" Morgan spoke in a hushed voice, her face only millimetres from her boyfriend's.

"Nothing to worry about. Getting warmer?"

She answered with a small smile before feeling her eyes getting heavy, Brian was talking about something in a low voice, and she hummed along in agreement; not really paying any attention to the conversation.

He rubbed her back gently, knowing she was just about asleep. "I wanna spend the rest of my life with you," he murmured, she didn't respond at all this time, she had fallen asleep.

Brian moved slightly, pulling Morgan in a little bit closer to him before he too fell asleep.

--

"Sir, I kno..," Morgan paced around the living area, speaking on a mobile phone to one of Bilkin's superiors, "Yes sir, I have it under control. We have a damning amount of evidence built up, we just need a little more ti.."

Brian listened on, she had just been cut off again by whomever she was speaking to – it reminded him of the conversations he and Bilkins had during the case he had been working on in LA.

Obviously what Morgan was doing was a lot more dangerous, higher risk and held a lot more importance than anything he had ever hoped to do.

"Sir, you can rest assured we _will_ get him." The conversation was sounding like it was drawing to a close now.

"Yes sir, thank you sir."

Morgan hung the phone up and put it down on the coffee table before going in search of her director.

"Bilkins?" she called out as she searched through a couple of rooms.

Before the conversation had completely finished Brian had been called away by Bilkins – the two men standing out in the garden.

"You know I like you O'Conner, I don't agree with your methods all the time; but you do what it takes to get the job done."

Brian regarded the man standing next to him; that was something he had never expected to hear from Bilkins, he knew they had some sort of mutual understanding – but he didn't realise exactly what the other man thought of him.

"I don't think I can do this anymore; it's not who I am. I mean.. "

Bilkins let out a quiet laugh before looking Brian in the eye, "you were born to do this job – and whether you continue doing it or not; Brian you're going to be a cop until the day you die. It's just in your blood, there are a lot of boys who grow up 'wanting' to be cops, and a small number who grow up to 'be' cops.

It takes a lot to do this job and do it well; I see it in you," Bilkins paused for a moment, "I see it in Forrester as well, she's one of the best agents I've ever had the opportunity to work with; she's new to all of this – but she has that same spark you do. You may not agree, but you two are very much akin."

Brian listened to the spiel Bilkins gave him, he felt quite honoured in more ways than one to have the man speak about him in such a light; he felt the same way about Morgan – she was born to do the job. He couldn't see it so much in himself, but in Morgan it was as clear as a window pane.

Brian laughed lightly, "so what are you gonna do if she ever left?"

"Well, Morgan's been with the Bureau now nearly 4 years and traditionally after that time agents are moved onto a larger field office," he shifted his stance slightly, "however if she agrees I would like to keep her at Miami; she's quite valuable to us."

Brian nodded while looking at the ground, now he really didn't know how Bilkins would handle Morgan's transfer to New York.

"It's not often you get agents like you both. Although honestly O'Conner what do I refer to you as?" he had quite a mischievous grin on his features now.

Brian laughed, "shit I don't know," he moved to shake Bilkins hand, "thanks Bilkins for what you've said, and uh I hope Forrester takes you up on your offer."

They shook hands and nodded, Morgan broke them up at that minute also, "Bilkins, I just got off the phone with Wilson; he said they've been getting a lot of activity around the Key Biscayne area…"

The discussion about evidence the FBI had and evidence that was needed to bring Deluka down and possibly get a life or even death row sentence conviction continued on for another half hour. Brian sat back and participated every so often; but left most of the talking up to Morgan, Bilkins and the other faceless agents that sat around the room.

Every time they ventured over to the safe house there was always another faceless, nameless – suit, there. Brian never got any sense of who they were or what there soul function was; but there were more and more each time.

Morgan had started to tire of the conversation slightly and let her eyes wander around the room; they focused on someone sitting across from her. He sat with his legs stretched out and one arm resting along the top of the couch; she could tell he was partly paying attention to what was going on, but more doing exactly what she was – staring off into space.

"How far into the operations have you been allowed so far, Forrester?" one of the black suited strangers asked.

Morgan jolted back to attention, "I'm sorry?"

The agent that had asked the question gave a weak smile, surprising Brian – he was expecting her to be scolded, "how far into the operations has Deluka let you get so far?"

"Uh, I guess you could say there isn't much that goes on there without me knowing about it, or having some sort of directional function in. Usually I act as the messenger. I know there are some operations he's undertaking that I haven't been able to access – however he is giving me hints of what he's doing. I suspect that by the time he's ready to fully involve both O'Conner and Pearce in the collection side of things I will have my finger in just about everything so-to-speak."

"Right now he's still testing them." Morgan cleared her throat and waited for a reply.

"Testing?" another suit asked.

"Testing their loyalty to the 'cause' before letting them have access to the actual goods, he likes to test all the new recruits by giving them certain privileges like expensive cars, money, VIP access at all of his clubs, so on so forth; to see how they handle it – whether they abuse their new status or keep on as they were before."

Brian looked over her as she spoke about all the temptations Deluka dished out – he and Rome had both been on the receiving end of such treatment; Brian knew the whole time that it would be best to act with caution in relation to what was going on – Rome however was given and inch and had started to run a mile.

The suits started to discuss something else along the same lines, and it was then Brian himself had started answering questions and confirming statements.

Brian felt like he was on the tip of gaining Deluka's trust; it was Rome he was worried about. Vincent liked Rome – but he didn't know if Vincent _trusted_ Rome.

"All in all I think we're all on the right track here; O'Conner keep doing what you're doing – it sounds like he's ready to fully involve you, once that's done it should only be a matter of days before you have collected enough 'hard' evidence. And Forrester, just keep on bugging him as often as you can – keep on your toes and stay in the game; which I trust you will anyway," Bilkins complimented her.

"Thanks for your time, and we'll be leaving now," Morgan smiled as she stood and started to shake hands with the 4 suits and Bilkins, Brian followed her actions and they left together.

On the walk to the wharf he spoke up, "so who were the suits?"

She looked at him and smirked, "those were the 'superiors', not as scary as they sound."

"I thought Bilkins was in charge."

"He is in charge, he's SAC of the field office, however he's quite invested in this mission, and he has bosses also; John Heller, the man with the spiked grey hair is the acting SAC in charge normally, which I don't understand why he was here today – but anyway, they all work in DC.

This mission is probably 2nd to like global terrorism basically…" she laughed a little, he didn't really find it as amusing as she did, "um yeah, so Heller is usually the man in charge of the place when Bilkins is doing reconnaissance with an agent in the field – i.e me; and this being a higher profile mission we all get checked on by agents from the DC headquarters just to clarify everything they get told – and also just so they can see how far we've gotten."

Brian nodded and rubbed his chin, he was incredibly proud of her.

Walking through the door to the quiet house Morgan's eyelids started to grow very heavy; it was only 3:30pm but she felt like she was about to curl up on in a ball and go to sleep.

At about 7:30 Brian flopped down on the couch and picked up his mobile phone; dialling the number of the local pizza place and making an order. Ten minutes passed and he heard a knock on the door.

He got his wallet from the coffee table and went to answer the door.

As he opened the door he realised his pizza wasn't on the other side; a pretty blonde jumped back, she wasn't expecting an answer so soon.

Brian looked at her, she looked back – "uh hi, this will probably sound really stupid; but does Mariana live here?"

He nodded slowly, "yeah she does."

The girl sighed with relief; "oh thank god, I've knocked on like 5 doors already."

Brian laughed, but before he could say anything else a sleepy looking Morgan yawned and stretched on her way to the kitchen.

"Get with it sleepy head, we gotta partay!" the girl moved past Brian and into the house, before he could close the door behind them his pizza arrived.

Morgan's jaw dropped and she put her hand over her mouth, "I totally passed out when I got home this afternoon!"

Sally shook her head, "that's cool. We've still got a bit of time anyway; Audrey and Lola are meeting us at The Grape at 8."

"Ok cool, I'm so sorry! By the way; Sally, meet my housemate Brian – Brian, Sally."

Brian and Sally exchanged hellos as Morgan took off toward her bedroom, she ran out a few minutes later in a flowing, silver sequined tunic top and a worn denim mini skirt, "how's this?" she asked Sally's opinion.

"I love," Sally started before she could finish Morgan shook her head and ran back to her room; she sifted around the wardrobe and drawers trying to find her favourite black tank top.

Brian shrugged at the women and flopped on the couch with his pizza, happy to kick back with a 6 pack of Corona's and a couple of good action flicks for the night.

Morgan ran back out again and pulled Sally with her to her room, the two girls making a ruckus as they both searched for something Morgan could wear out. Brian rolled his eyes as he heard giggles and shrieks of laughter coming from down the hall.

20 minutes later both the girls appeared back in the kitchen, Sally had changed her outfit, she was now wearing one of Morgan's satiny white halter tops, and a pair of her faded skinny leg jeans and heels and Morgan was dressed in the pair of black hip hugger jeans Sally had been wearing previously, a black tank top and had a silver string of beads wrapped around her neck and a pair of black heels on.

The white-faced clock hanging near the kitchen read 8:10pm; they were casually late for their meet up at The Grape café.

"Ok let's roll chicky," Morgan did a final check of her makeup and hair and Sally smoothed the flowing halter top with a free hand. Nonchalantly examining 'Mariana's' gorgeous roommate, Brian.

"We're casually late as it is," Sally smirked at her friend before moving toward the front door.

"Have fun," Brian said simply before finishing off his first bottle of beer.

"Save some of that for me would ya," Morgan motioned toward the Corona's lined up on the table.

She didn't necessarily want the beer she just didn't want him sitting at home alone getting drunk, he made her worry.

"Sure, now would you mind leaving?"

Morgan's face twisted to a smile with a raised eyebrow, "and would you mind biting me?"

He motioned toward the door and she wagged a finger at him before running out the door with Sally down to the black Mercedes Benz parked next to the phantom blue Aston Martin Vanquish at the side of the house; the fluorescent green Murcielago that normally joined the other two cars absent.

An hour later and Brian had whittled down the 6 pack to a mere two beers and figured it was time to follow his ex's advice and pull up.

He settled back on the couch as his mobile started to ring and vibrate around the wooden tabletop.

"Brutha you comin out tonight?" Harry, one of his friends slurred down the line.

Brian looked over at the time, "fuck it, where are you at?"

Brian finished the call, got dressed into jeans, his usual black converse and a black long sleeve button down shirt, he folded the long sleeves up to his elbows however, it was a cooler night but not enough to have them down.

Cracking his neck on the way out Brian hoped in a way he'd run into Morgan while out on the town, but then again hoped that he didn't. He liked to keep an eye on her, especially with things heating up around their work as of the last weeks and past 'clients' of Deluka's; but also just to make sure she was ok.

Audrey linked arms with Morgan as the girls walked down the street towards the first club they had on their list.

"So baby girl what's shaking with the love life lately?" Audrey, the serial flirt of the group asked.

Morgan frowned slightly, "not a whole lot. You know that thing I was telling you about a while ago right?"

Audrey nodded in reference to a discussion her and Morgan had together over past relationships a month previously, Morgan's issues getting over an ex coming to mind.

Audrey nodded in recognition, "yeah it's just been getting me down a bit lately is all. Keep thinking of the same guy – it's pissin me off a bit now actually!"

Laughing Audrey asked her 'why?'

"Because I can't get laid damnit!"

The girls hugged laughing as they walked along, their friends talking excitedly about something else.

"How are things for you anyway?" Morgan asked as she straightened her top.

"Eh… Could be better could be worse – I just keep meeting jerks. All I want is a fun guy to have a good time with, nothing serious."

"What? Why are you giving me the look?" Audrey asked trying to read into her friend's cheeky smirk.

"I have the perfect guy for you! He's probably out tonight as well; you wanna meet up with him later?" Morgan asked, when Audrey laid out her criteria Drew immediately came to mind and Audrey would be right up his alley.

Audrey shrugged her shoulders with a little smile.

Brian had met up with his friends having drinks at their local haunt, before going on the club crawl until the wee hours of the morning. For once he was actually looking forward to going out all night. Previously he always had mixed feelings for going out like they normally did; never the enthusiasm he had right at that moment.

He walked in behind his friends to the first club; they walked up into the VIP section and got a table, ordered the first round of drinks and sat back scoping out the crowd.

Brian didn't really have a 'game plan' for the night, he didn't have an agenda – he just needed to have a good time with his friends. Pressure was starting to build up in every other aspect of his life and he needed a breather.

He still wasn't on speaking terms with Rome, so the guys around him were really his only friends at that time. He was friendly with Morgan, but they still weren't exactly best pals or anything.

Brian walked into the third club and found himself a little shocked, up on a podium dancing quite suggestively with another girl was Morgan, and as he got closer he recognised her friend as Sally, the girl that came to the house earlier.

Drew burst out into laughter, trying to conceal the fact his eyes were trying to escape from their sockets.

"You got a video camera bro?" Drew tapped Brian's shoulder; they both smirked at each other.

"This is all the ammunition I'm ever gonna need," Brian rubbed his hands together in a comically evil fashion.

They both turned their backs for a second and both quite eagerly looked back toward the podium – the girls were no longer there.

Brian spotted the group of girls moving through the crowd again out the exit; smiling a little – she was the shortest of the group, and was still wearing a decent set of heels.

"Where'd they go?" Drew asked, dumbfounded that they had all disappeared so quickly.

Brian shrugged before passing along a beer he'd been given from one of the other men to Drew and keeping the next one for himself. --

--

"Now don't go tellin' us you ain't at least _thought _about it brah." One of Brian's inebriated friends slurred.

"Thought about what?"

"That fuckin hot roommate of yours, shit both of em really."

Brian rubbed his chin and looked toward the ceiling – his friend's laughing now.

"I am not answerin that man," Brian laughed, "that shit would just get me into more trouble."

"Being Drew's woman and all ya know…" Brian smirked and received a punch in the arm from Drew.

"I wish.. fuck I've never tried so hard in my damn life – I just need to give up. She ain't gonna put out for me anytime soon," Drew conceded.

'Good' Brian thought to himself, if she were hooking up with one of his closer friends it would only complicate things and take them to a level they didn't need to be at.

"What she's a cocktease?" another guy at the table asked.

"Hell no; she's down fo sho, you know she's only joking – if she were teasin me I'd know bro, she's just not easy." Drew came to Morgan's defence, Brian silently agreeing with him, he couldn't stand his friends talking about Morgan or even Monica like pieces of meat – however they seemed to love the conversation topic.

"I just chose the wrong time to make my move – home girl was engaged and I was with a chick. After that it wasn't ever gonna happen," Drew's statement making Brian feel sick to the stomach instantly.

Engaged – she had been engaged.

He shot off the couch, made up a lame excuse and went out onto the terrace into the buzzing night air, the sea breeze whipping up from the ocean and blowing his through his hair a little.

The alcohol rushed to his head and made him unsteady on his feet; his head swimming as he balanced on the railings looking over the ocean and the buzzing street below – feeling like he was going to bring up everything he had consumed in the last day, Brian steadied his gaze out toward the horizon and even through the alcohol induced buzz, he felt the same old hurt.

He wanted the old life back, where he was Brian O'Conner – son of Grace Jenner and Tyler O'Conner, unfortunately stepson of Barry Williams, brother of Jake O'Conner, best friend of Jason Kyle, LAPD Police Officer and boyfriend of Morgana Forrester.

Not, Brian O'Conner, part time mechanic, illegal street racer, master of the one night stand, ex-fugitive, and all around pissed off about everything.

Their fourth club through, Morgan had danced to the point of exhaustion; she decided to take a breather and sit with Audrey out on the terrace of the newest Deluka club – Juice.

"So who was this guy you were telling me about earlier?" Audrey had encountered a few more jerks that night and was interested in who Morgan had mentioned; she knew her friend wouldn't set up her up with a creep.

Morgan smiled and sipped her drink, "Oh! Drew, he's awesome. I've known him for a little while, he's pretty good friends with my roomies too. But yeah, he's a fun, genuine guy – believe me he isn't looking for a wife anytime soon."

Audrey smiled into her drink; she had recently gotten out of a 2 year relationship because of commitment issues – not his, but hers. She wasn't ready to be someone's wife and she wanted someone who understood that.

"Ok… So what's he look like?"

"He's a little taller than me, a real surfer boy – dark tan, brown hair, he's a cutey pie," Morgan was hoping Audrey would give Drew a chance.

"Hey, how on earth is your hot roommate still single?" Audrey all of a sudden switched topics.

Morgan swallowed down hard, she felt awkward answering this question, "um, uh I don't know – hasn't moved past hood rats yet."

"Fair enough; you guys seem to be getting along now though – that's gotta be good."

"Yeah, yeah it is. It really beats fighting all the time; he's a good guy we just clashed over a few things in the beginning, but yeah it's all good now." Morgan looked around, hoping to see who she was talking about.

She had a pretty good idea he was still at home, most likely watching Bad Boys or something similar, but there was always hope. She didn't know why she was hoping, there was no real reason to hope.

--

_**1997 – Los Angeles**_

"Ok, so they're taking bets on how long we're going to last right?" Morgan looked from the brightly patterned table cloth to meet his big blue eyes as they trained themselves to her face.

"Yeah, that's right."

She nodded and looked down into her drink with a distant smile.

"So why would they start taking bets, because I haven't let you kiss me and we've been on 3 dates?"

Brian knew he'd told James a little too much now; he should've put a little more thought into it before telling James Masters anything – the gossip of the precinct.

He dropped his eyes to the plate in front of him; how was he supposed to reply to this? She knew now he'd told someone about what he wasn't getting and perhaps had blown the whole thing.

'Fuck it, bait her back,' he thought to himself before cooking up an appropriate response.

"Maybe; so can I ask," he paused briefly to sip his beer, "why haven't you?"

She raised her eyebrows with a smile, "I'm still trying to decide if you have cooties."

He burst out laughing; she smiled and chewed her bottom lip.

She was a tough nut to crack; but he had never enjoyed the pursuit so much.

"Well I don't," he smiled and looked around for their cheque.

"I'll be the judge of that," she replied mysteriously as she got out of her seat and started to go outside.

Brian threw a tip on the table and the correct money for their bill and chased her outside.

She was getting into a taxi as he came out and he slid in next to her, she looked a little startled at first but hid it quickly.

"So," Brian started – praying to the heavens above he hadn't ruined his chances with her.

"So," she replied, leaning against the cool window pane and watching the passing traffic.

"You're a little mad at me?"

"I'm mainly a little mad that you told James Masters about all of that. Honestly, if you've got something to say in future say it to me." Morgan looked over his way with a small smile.

She was undoubtedly a little upset with him for talking about quite personal details to one of the loudest mouthed guys at the station; but she didn't want to throw away what they seemed to be building.

Even though she hadn't let him kiss her just yet, she still felt like they were building toward something. She would know for sure once she did finally let him get at least a little bit of a hint she was returning what he had sent out.

Before he could reply they had already pulled up outside her house, the lights were off – meaning Jane had gone out, or was asleep already.

Morgan paid the fair and Brian asked the taxi to wait, following her out of the car and up the path.

"Please tell me this is happening again sometime soon," he asked, producing a little smoke in the cool night air as he spoke.

"Well I hope so," she smiled.

"Thanks, I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked starting to turn away a little – feeling very much relieved he hadn't blown it with her, the taxi still waiting for him to come back.

"Yeah; but aren't you forgetting something?" she asked with a little smile playing on her lips and her eyes sparkling.

He turned to face her; he didn't want to move in to kiss her again and make himself look like a fool for the 3rd time in a row. Brian shrugged slightly and waited for further instruction.

She laughed and grabbed his shirt collar pulling him down to her, and planted a kiss on his lips.

It happened quite quickly and at first left Brian a little dumbfounded, she released him and started to push him away with a grin.

"Oh nuh-uh," he said grabbing her and pulling her in closer to him, he pushed his lips against hers and started to kiss her properly. She responded back and they didn't come up for air until the cabbie blasted the horn to get their attention.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow," Brian stood back up straight and put his hands in his pockets, trying to wipe the stupid school boy smile off his face but having a hard time.

"Ok; yeah tomorrow," she stammered sounding like a smitten teenager.

Brian jogged down the path and got into the taxi, it immediately pulled away from the curb as Morgan closed the door behind her, quickly going to her room and falling to a jelly-like mess onto her bed with a huge smile on her face.

'Nope, definitely doesn't have cooties.'

--

Brian pulled himself back together and went back in to his friends, sitting back down again like the chair was made of glass.

Lance, one of his friends; slapped him on the back, "you aiight man? You look pretty pale."

Brian coughed, "yeah cool, just had to get a bit of air ya know."

The girls re-located yet again to the 6th club and decided to stay there for the rest of their evening – at 2:30am they walked through the VIP access into the Red; Morgan's favourite of the clubs her boss owned; it was a little quieter, a lot more selective with the people that got through the doors, and the music was an infusion of trance, dance, hip hop, reggaeton and remixed pop.

Brian was glad to get out of the heat of the club they had been at previously and wind down at Red; he wasn't the biggest party animal in the world and by the time the night started to wind down was usually in his own bed or someone else's.

"Bro I'm amazed you've hung in this long yo! This time normally you've gone home," Drew dropped a subtle hint at Brian's usual activity.

"I'm tryin to behave," he replied with his signature smirk.

"I thought you said Morgan was comin out tonight?" Drew asked, thankfully they weren't near the others in the group as Drew had let slip 'Mariana's' true identity.

"Yeah I said Mariana's out with her friends – they coulda been here already," he replied pulling Drew back into check.

"Nah you end the night at Red."

Brian shrugged and went up to the bar to get a few more rounds of drinks.

"Hey, look over there." Sally pointed out the familiar group of guys sitting by the large windows that overlooked the buzzing street below.

Heidi smiled, "you've been thinking about Mar's roommate like all night haven't you?"

Sally smiled, "you think she'd be mad if I tried to hook up with him?"

Heidi shook her head, "why I mean they've only just started getting along in general – honestly I don't think she'd care."

Wrong.

"I'm disappointed," Morgan sipped her last drink of the evening.

"Me too, I was looking forward to meeting Drew," Audrey was genuinely disappointed now, Morgan had built up such an attractive picture in her head of this man – and their night was drawing to a close without a single glimpse of him.

Morgan closed her eyes and sighed as she leaned her head back against the overstuffed red velvet lounge she and her friends were seated on, "I'm so tired I can't even think about dancing right now."

Audrey smiled and passed Morgan a fresh drink, "this has gotta be my last – pretty sure I've got something going on with work tomorrow."

"Yeah me too, hey tell me what Drew looks like again?" Audrey spotted someone fitting Morgan's description of Drew walking toward a table a little way down from them.

"Medium height; dark tan; brown hair; nice ass," Morgan smiled and cracked an eye open to look at Audrey, "you need a little refresher to take home with you tonight?"

"No! I just thought I saw a guy who fit the bill is all. You're a perv sometimes I swear to god," Audrey scolded her laughing friend.

"Where? And thankyou kindly," Morgan smiled and trained her eyes past Audrey's pointed finger to a table – lo and behold there was Drew, Lance, Jim, Michael and Brian.

"That was most likely Drew Drew." Morgan started to get up, Audrey started to move also, "hang on a sec, I'm just gonna go over and get him ok."

Audrey nodded and sat back, getting a little tense.

Morgan sucked down the rest of her drink and gathered herself, she began walking over toward the group of men, and when she got nearer ran over and leapt onto Drew's lap.

"HEY BABY!" Morgan yelled and kissed Drew on the forehead, the other guys smirking, Brian couldn't help but laugh.

"What's up baby cakes?" Drew smiled, she caught him off guard.

"Not much, not much…"

"By the way you're a freakin liar," Morgan referred to Brian.

"Yeah, why?"

"Staying at home watching movies my ass," Morgan smirked he just rolled his eyes.

"So," she smiled putting both hands on Drew's shoulders and giving them a squeeze.

"Why I'm here is," she leaned in closer to Drew so he could fully hear her.

"You really need to meet one of my friends; her name's Audrey – she's a babe, if I had one I'd do her. She's hot, single, and from what I've said about you stud muffin she's keen," Morgan gave Drew the run down.

Brian watched them, the more she spoke the bigger the smile on his face grew. They both got up all of a sudden, Morgan dragging him away and down to the table she had been sitting at.

"What was that about?" Michael asked.

"You think he's finally gonna get some play?" Lance suggested.

"Hell no," was the unified answer.

Brian was up at the bar getting himself another drink and taking a time out again; a girl came up and ordered a drink next to him. She looked him over out of the corner of her eye.

"Oh hey," Sally said with a smile on her face; trying to sound surprised and hide her intentions.

He gave her a smile, "how are ya?"

'Oh you're gorgeous,' she thought to herself as she prepared her answer.

"I'm great; a little sleepy now! But I've had fun tonight, how about you? What have you guys gotten up to tonight?"

He took a sip of his drink, "good to hear. Yeah I don't know if I should go into detail about that actually.. it's been a fun night anyway."

She laughed, he looked at the clothes she was wearing – she looked nice, but she didn't make them look hot like Morgan did. Morgan could make a potato sack look hot in his opinion.

They stayed at the bar carrying on the conversation, toward the end Sally began making her move, getting a little closer, touching him every so often. Just trying to get her message across; and trying not to feel guilty and check for her friend every ten seconds.

Morgan had let Audrey and Drew carry on a conversation of their own; her face was lit up with laughter and he was smiling wider than she'd seen him for a while. This match could actually work quite well, she thought.

Morgan settled down to talk with her other friends, who had now mixed with a group of guys that Brian and Drew had shown up with, and they were having fun together.

After a little while though someone's absence was being felt at the table; Morgan was scanning the room around her trying to find Brian and her missing friend.

She decided to get a refill of her martini; as she neared the bar she saw them sitting at a nearby booth laughing about something, Sally leaned over and brushed something from his face; they were sickeningly close to each other also.

A wave of nausea washed over Morgan and she felt everything she'd drank and eaten in the last 24 hours rise up to her throat.

Morgan pushed through the crowd ran to the toilets before she lost her stomach.

She managed to push into a free stall and collapsed into a heaving mess at the toilet bowl. After she'd brought up everything and anything she could possibly bring up she fell back against the cold wall of the stall, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Her breath was shaky as she began to hyperventilate, she normally cried a little when she threw up, but this was far more than that.

Her heart was broken. It had been nearly four years but it was as broken at that moment as she lay crying on the toilet floor as it had been when she walked out on him at 3am leaving it all behind.

Audrey had seen Morgan rush off and decided to go after her; she walked into the bathroom, not sure if she were still in there or not.

"Mariana? Are you in here?" she spoke as she closed the door behind her, she heard coughing and ragged breaths coming from the stall at the very end. Audrey took a few quick steps and knocked on the door, "Mariana?"

"Honey is that you?" she asked again.

Morgan coughed, "yeah."

"Are you ok?" Audrey asked, the door all of a sudden opened a little and she saw Morgan sitting on the floor, her face flushed and tears still rolling down her already glistening cheeks.

'Oh my gosh,' Audrey thought as she knelt down next to her friend and pulled her into a hug.

"What's wrong?"

Morgan shook her head, "I think I've just had too many you know," she croaked, her throat stinging more with every word.

Audrey kept her arms around her friend; Morgan's head was resting just under Audrey's chin.

"I think you're right about having maybe one too many; but I don't think that's why you're sitting in a stall throwing up and crying, I know what a broken heart feels like."

"I also don't think this is over Raoul."

Morgan had always felt closest to Audrey, they often had in depth girl talks and told each other things that they didn't share with the rest of their circle of friends – it wasn't that they were being secretive; there were just things they spoke about that only they seemed to relate to.

Morgan sniffled and some more tears fell as she shook her head slowly.

"It's not." Morgan replied in a small voice.

Before she could go on any further Heidi came bursting into the bathroom and ran down the back to where her two friends were slouched on the floor.

"Hey baby! Are you ok?" she asked Morgan kneeling down next to them and moving some hair that had been stuck to Morgan's cheek by tears behind her ear.

"I'm cool, just had too many – I'm a baby I always start crying when I throw up." Morgan hadn't lied at all, she had too much to drink that night and yes, she did cry a little whenever she threw up.

"Ok.. You promise you're ok?" Heidi asked; she got the vibe her two friends had been talking about something when she came in and decided after checking on Mariana it might have been best to leave them be.

Morgan nodded and sat up a little bit, Audrey shifted as well letting her friend sit up.

Heidi smiled and gave Morgan a hug before getting up and walking toward the door, throwing her friends a final glance before letting the door swing closed behind her.

"Can you tell me who this is about?" Audrey asked shortly after Heidi had left them.

Morgan looked at her friend, she knew she could trust Audrey, "it feels like it was million years ago really."

"Obviously not if you're in here crying like a woman who has just lost it all," Audrey smiled a little at her, Morgan let out a small laugh in reply.

Morgan pushed her hair back from her face and rubbed her cheeks, she was regaining some composure.

"Is it the guy you were engaged to, the football player?"

Morgan shook her head, "I wish it were Tom, would make this a lot easier on me."

Morgan looked into Audrey's big green eyes and Audrey didn't need to ask anymore questions.

"It's Brian isn't it?"


	17. It's a Winding Road

_Ok, so I know it's been almost 2 years... Sorry for the absence. I've decided that sometime in the next 6 months that I would like to get this story finished with so that it's done and dusted. It's the only one that I have up here that I still like... I'm not really that active in writing anymore. I definitely still hang around here and read - so hopefully the authors of the stories that I have started to frequent don't take my lead and take years to produce a chapter... haha_

_If there's anyone out there who still remembers this story, I hope this was worth the wait and I will endeavor to have this story finished by the end of the year. _

_But it's amazing how much this community has changed in the years that I've been here - which is something like 5 (I was reading long before I became a member). The new movie has really given this section a kick start again - what did you all think of the fourth instalment? I went and saw it the day it came out here in Aus and have to say that it does actually have one of the best storylines in the entire series... Although the whole '' thing I didn't dig sooo much. Nevermind - that's why we have our own fiction.  
_

**_Usual Disclaimers - I do not own any characters associated with the Fast and The Furious franchise - I do however own all original characters. _**

**_Ps - reviews are lovely and seeing as it's my birthday today I would love some!  
_**

_**Chapter 17 – It's a Winding Road**_

_Morgan looked into Audrey's big green eyes and Audrey didn't need to ask anymore questions._

"_It's Brian isn't it?" _

Morgan laughed through a few more tears, "you seriously have a skill you know."

Audrey smiled and put her arm back around her friend.

"Why now though?"

"I dunno, we've been getting along so well lately. A couple of days ago he and Rome got into a pretty big fight and I had to take him to the hospital to get stitches; we left the ER and ended up getting Burger King and sitting in the car at the beach for about 3 hours just talking… Then tonight I see he and Sally talking and I dunno I just wanted to throw up.."

"I did really have too much to drink." Morgan wiped her mouth.

Audrey's sympathetic eyes rested on Morgan, she didn't really know what to say. She thought she was just making a silly guess when she suggested that Brian was the cause of Morgan's broken heart; she would never have guessed she was actually right.

After nearly 10 minutes had passed Morgan nodded and wiped her eyes, "ok we better get back out there huh."

"You sure you're all right? Do you wanna stay at my place tonight?" Audrey offered as she stood up and helped Morgan to her feet.

Morgan shook her head, "its ok. I just really wanna go home and get into my bed and sleep this off."

Audrey nodded; she led her friend from the bathroom and back out into the club.

Brian and Sally had returned to the group their friends had formed, she was now with her friends; they all seemed to be talking about something important, Drew was sipping on a glass of ice water and had turned his attention to Audrey, who was walking with a very different Morgan than the one who had been there before.

Morgan's hair had fallen down around her face now hiding her swollen cheeks and the redness of her eyes and nose, and she was clinging to Audrey slightly trying to stay steady on her feet.

Brian saw Audrey and Morgan coming back from the bar direction; Morgan looked awful. He knew she'd been crying which meant she had most likely been sick. It was definitely time for her to go home to bed.

Drew shot up out of his chair and went to the pair before they had gotten back to the table, he put a jacket around Morgan's shoulders and pulled her into a hug, Audrey saying something to him before going into the group and picking up hers and Morgan's handbags, she gave her girlfriend's hugs and waved to the group of guys, her eyes lingering on Brian who was looking over in Morgan and Drew's direction.

From the expression on his face of sheer concern and the pain in his eyes she knew he was as much of a mess as Morgan was.

"I'm just gonna get her home, she's had enough for tonight," Audrey spoke for her friend who swayed a little on a her feet, a stray tear sliding down her cheek.

"No, I'll take you both home ok, come on," Drew took on the responsibility of holding up Morgan from Audrey as they turned around and left.

They finally made it out of the club and into the cool car park, Drew steadied Morgan as he unlocked the doors of his silver Land Cruiser wagon.

Audrey and drew carefully helped Morgan into the backseat, she lay down straight away. Once she was in, Audrey got into the passenger's seat and Drew slid into the driver's side and turned the key in the ignition.

An hour later Brian had had more than enough of fidgeting and being a million miles away thinking about Morgan and why she was so upset; Drew hadn't returned either had Audrey. However he was hoping if he went home they wouldn't be there.

After nearly an hour Morgan had almost convinced Audrey to go with Drew, she was still unsure on her feet and feeling queasy; however Audrey had talked her into having a shower and she now felt much more alert than she had before.

Morgan really just wanted to be alone; so she could go out onto the back stairs, light a cigarette and remember when things for her were different.

Both Audrey and Drew had left together, Drew deciding to call Brian and let him know Morgan was at home and they were going to get her car for her.

Brian's mobile starting ringing as he hailed down a cab, he got into the back seat of the musty blue sedan, and answered the phone.

"Yo, hang on," he told the driver his home address and the car stuttered off down the road.

"Yeah?"

"Bro, it's Drew, we took Mariana home cos she was a bit out of it; we're gonna go back for her car later."

"Nah man, it's all good I'll go over and get it tomorrow or something with Monica. That's where you guys went? Is she ok?"

"Yeah she's alright now; actually think she's kind of sober again."

Brian laughed, "all right, well don't worry about the Benz I'll pick it up tomorrow, meet y'all at the concert in a couple of days anyway."

"Sure thang brah, see ya then."

Audrey and Drew had left and Morgan was now dressed in a comfy pair of dark blue velour track pants with a white and blue striped waistband, and a white zip through turtleneck jacket; the waistband of her pants visible as well as a small strip of tanned skin between the hem of the jacket and top of her pants.

She rummaged through her secret 'stash' drawer in the kitchen and found what she was looking for, a pack of Marlboros and her purple lighter. Her wet hair was tied up in a high ponytail and her face completely free of any make up.

Walking out into the cool night air she took a seat at the top of the stairs and pulled a cigarette from the carton, she had gone through half in only a month.

On the way home Brian hadn't been paying too much attention to the route the cabbie was taking and realised that he had now been in transit for at least 10 minutes longer than what he needed to be – and the meter just kept on ticking over.

"Hey, if you're lost bro turn the god damn meter off and pull up; or just hurry the fuck up ok!"

The driver looked over his shoulder at his passenger who had now slumped back in his seat and gave him a glance. The driver didn't bother replying and took the shortest way he knew to his customer's destination.

When they pulled up Brian threw a $20 at him and got out, not waiting for change – the driver not offering change either.

He shook his head as he fiddled with his keys, finding his coordination to be quite poor to normal. Regardless of Morgan it had turned out to be a good time for him to bow out also.

Getting angered he finally managed to unlock the door, clumsily pulling his keys from the lock and slamming the door a little louder than what he had intended to behind him; then praying Morgan wasn't trying to sleep.

After the ruckus at the door Morgan had flicked her Marlboro out quickly and went toward the door.

Brian slammed the door behind him as he came inside and Morgan settled down again, a little upset he had came home so soon; she wanted to be by herself.

"I see you closed the door there," Morgan pointed out with an eyebrow raised. She looked ill, but much better than what she did at the club – or at least what he had managed to see before Drew and Audrey ushered her away.

He nodded, closing his eyes for a second and reopening them. Brian moved to the kitchen, taking his wallet, mobile phone and keys from his pockets and leaving them on the bench. Wandering down the hall he clumsily went into his room to get a change of clothes to go and have a shower.

Morgan enjoyed the silence, until she heard the shower start; that didn't really bother her all that much. The clouds were visible in the sky, their silver linings illuminated from the moon against the black and white speckled background that was the sky that night.

It really was a beautiful night; she rested her head against the smooth wood pillars at the top of the steps and breathed in the fresh air.

The peaceful silence was broken when an engine pulled up outside, she heard the door open and close, and then footsteps up the path. They headed straight for her.

Becoming more alert Morgan stood up ready to meet whoever had felt it really necessary to come to the house at 2 am.

"Hey baby girl, how's it going?" Roman Pearce came into the light and Morgan smiled, her eyes looking tired and her skin pale.

"It's alright, how are you sweetie?" Morgan gave Rome a big hug; he wrapped his arms around her also.

She hadn't seen him for a little while; she knew however he had still been doing his job, for which she was very proud of him.

Rome gave her a tired smile back, "I'm alright. Kia's gone now, she left two days ago."

Morgan nodded in understanding, and assumed they had been alright after the fiasco with he and Brian.

"Is Brian still awake?"

She chewed her lip and gave him a little nod of agreement, "yeah he was in the shower, don't know if he's still in there – water's stopped. Let me go and see alright," Morgan placed a hand on Rome's chest, signalling for him to wait for her to return.

The bathroom door was still closed, Morgan knocked gently.

"I'll be out in a minute," he answered while rinsing his toothbrush out under the tap.

"Are you at least decent? I need to tell you something." Morgan asked him.

"Yeah," he opened the door and she walked into the steam filled bathroom, she closed the door behind them.

"What's wrong?" he asked while picking up his towel and hanging it over the rail.

"Rome's here, I think you need to talk to him and sort things out."

Brian's face was unreadable for a second; she could tell he was uneasy about talking with Rome.

"Ok," he nodded pulling on a shirt and walking out behind her.

Rome had come into the house and was sitting on a stool at the kitchen bench; he turned toward the hallway when he heard footsteps coming in his direction.

"Well, I'm gonna head back outside, but I swear I will pistol whip you both if someone's gotta go to hospital tonight – you dig?" Morgan threatened them jovially as she leant against the doorway.

Rome saluted her and Brian nodded.

She walked back out the door, leaving it open behind her just in case something broke out in there. Sitting down on the stair again she rested her head back into its previous position and watched a bonfire going on in the distance on the beach.

Rome and Brian had been talking for about fifteen minutes when Rome changed the topic all of a sudden, "listen bro, I'm sorry about snappin on you like I did. I just really thought you were tappin my girlfriend was all."

Brian regarded his friend and rubbed his chin feeling the stubble that was associated with not shaving for a few days. "I thought it was about more than that, but it's all right. Do it again and I'll beat the shit outta you properly though," Brian started smirking and punched Roman in the arm.

"So, how do you feel though about Kia having a son?" Brian asked his friend.

"Ummm, I still haven't figured that out yet. I mean, I don't think I could handle that this soon into a relationship, but I'm going to think long and hard. She has told me though that he has a father, so she doesn't expect me to try and be his dad or anything like that; it still feels weird though."

Brian nodded and looked at his friend and then out toward the veranda where Morgan was sitting.

Morgan lit up the next cigarette; the last few months she'd slowly been sinking back into her habit and as much as she tried to deny it for some reason she enjoyed the foul taste of tobacco every so often; helped her calm down and take her mind off things.

She jumped when she heard a voice behind her; "and to think of the trouble I got into for having one every now and again."

"That's different." She replied looking straight ahead.

"And that's bullshit," Brian replied smirking, before getting close enough to her to snatch her half empty pack of Marlboros away from her and the little purple lighter.

Morgan looked daggers at him as he slumped down on the veranda freshly lit cigarette in hand inhaling deeply.

Rome came out and found both of them smoking on the veranda.

"Bro I thought y'all quit that shit," Rome questioned Brian – Morgan laughed under her breath.

Rome and Brian started their usual bickering; Morgan finding it almost comforting in a way.

"By the way; did I give either of you permission to be out here annoying the shit out of me?"

Brian completely changed the topic when he noticed he and Morgan both smoking and Rome swatting away the smoke that was wafting in front of him.

"Don't be such a pussy." Brian exhaled letting smoke escape from his lips; nearly at the end of his cigarette and finding himself with the same old satisfied feeling.

"Yo, I'm real sorry I ain't a chain smoker like the rest of y'all."

"So you should be, what the hell's wrong with you you freak?" Morgan pushed her finished butt into the ash tray beside her leg; she waited for Rome's reaction with a cheeky little smile on her face.

Brian quietly observed, he'd become quite accustomed to sitting back and watching everything happening in front of him. He was tired and his body ached but he didn't want to go to sleep yet; he wanted to stay on the veranda with Rome and Morgan until he couldn't take it anymore.

---

3 days later

The afternoon grew cooler and the heat of the day eventually ebbed into a comfortable warm. The sun had begun to set and she knew it was getting late but she needed to stay with Vincent for as long as she could – she needed to know more.

Brian looked around the empty house – he had arrived home from an afternoon of darts, pool and drinking at Lance's; the ring of silence now audible in the lounge room – the setting sun giving it an orange glow.

He slid the windows in the kitchen open and unlocked the back door to allow more airflow through the hot, stuffy house. Brian had grown to be quite used to the silence of the house when Monica and Morgan were working and Rome was doing whatever it was Rome did.

He enjoyed the time alone; he could just crack open a cold Corona and laze about enjoying what was left of the day and just as he had begun doing so the phone rang, he picked it up and was informed he needed to go to Vincent's for a meeting.

Rubbing his eyes he skulled what was left of the beer and threw the empty bottle into the rubbish, and went to his bedroom to change into something a bit less casual.

Morgan shuffled the papers she'd accumulated on her desk trying to find her mobile phone. Then it began ringing from under the payroll files she had picked up only moments earlier.

"Can you please meet us in the foyer Mariana?" Vincent asked her. She answered a yes and then ended the call.

Walking down the hall the breeze from the open doors hit her skin; which was glistening with a thin layer of sweat and sent a tingle through her body – what a day for the air conditioning to break down.

Rome knew he had to pick up his act if he wanted to help Morgan land Deluka; he knew Brian had become the right hand man and Deluka trusted him to carry out his many little needs – Rome however was hardly phoned anymore.

Brian was waiting with Vincent in his tastefully decorated foyer; two familiar sounds hit them at once – Morgan's heels clicking down the hall toward them, and the sound of a Lamborghini pulling up in the driveway.

Morgan smiled at them both as she came into view.

Brian looked her over and his stomach flipped, she had her wavy hair tied back loosely, and a very form fitting royal blue dress on that was cut straight across her shoulders, sat about 3 inches above her knees and he noticed as she stood near to him, was backless.

"Good afternoon," she greeted them both quite cheerfully as Vincent motioned for her to come closer to him, once she was there he put his arm around her waist.

She had become quite used to Vincent, found herself not being so repulsed by his actions – she was not turning at all, she had just gotten used to playing along with his game of flirtation with her.

Roman entered the room to find the three of them waiting on him.

Once they had moved through the greetings Vincent led them all down to the poolside; girls in bikinis swam and dove into the crystal water of the large lap pool which was attached to a fake waterfall with a Playboy Mansion styled grotto built into it.

Vincent began talking about nothing much in particular and Morgan was sent to run a few errands, Rome followed not long after until it was just Vincent Deluka left one on one with Brian O'Conner.

"In exactly one week Brian, I'm going to be the biggest distributor of ecstasy, cocaine and heroin in South America, Florida, and the Caribbean. You may remember me asking you and Roman to run a collection of money from the islands," Vincent asked Brian – mentioning for the first time exactly what he was doing. It had always been known how Deluka was really making his money; because his clubs albeit successful and wildly popular couldn't afford him everything he had – perhaps a fair chunk of it, but not even close to what he had, he had just never said it in such clear terms.

He owned nearly 2 thirds of Nassau and held many different real estate interests across Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa Bay and the Caribbean – he had himself a nice little estate right next door to Castro in Cuba also.

Carter Verone didn't hold a candle to this guy.

Brian nodded in agreement, "I think so."

Vincent smiled, in a way that sent a small chill through Brian – he had this ruthless cold in his eyes that really came out when he smiled in that way.

"I've changed my plans, I've got the feds breathing down my neck and doing things that way is just too slow; I need my money in one hit and my drugs out in another. Mariana doesn't know too much about any of this just yet; but I have my buyers coming to Miami on the 17th of September for a weekend at my resort – we will be doing our business there, you, Roman, Henri, Joel and Federico will be moving the merchandise to each person.

I want you to take a shipment of cocaine from my men in Columbia to my buyer in Fort Lauderdale, I'll have the other men distributing at the same time to my other buyers. Mariana and I will be in Miami.

If you're successful you boys will never have to work again for the rest of your lives."

Brian took all of this information in carefully – Deluka hadn't ever really had any intention of moving money by water at all. He was excited of the idea of this going down in Miami; it afforded them so much extra man power once the FBI and Customs came to the party.

However he was going to Fort Lauderdale…

Morgan came back to the table not long after their conversation had finished; she looked over the two of them sharing a knowing look and decided to break it up.

"Having fun are we?" she asked sitting back down with her playful smirk. She delicately picked up a strawberry from the fruit platter that sat in the middle of the table and bit into it.

'What is it with drug lords and fruit platters?' Brian thought to himself; trying not to wish he were the strawberry just as much as Deluka was.

"So I was just in contact with the service agent for the air conditioning; they won't be able to do anything about it until next week apparently, which is more than ridiculous." Morgan sipped a cold glass of water.

Deluka's brow furrowed with frustration, "you've been cooped up in that sauna of an office all day Mari, come with me for a moment."

Vincent stood and held his hand out to Morgan who accepted it and he led her off back into the house.

Brian leant back on his chair and tipped forward again sharply; shocking himself. He decided to sit up properly and trained his eyes on the pool. The sights were quite enough to keep him from getting bored.

Back in the office Morgan was sitting in one of Vincent's comfortable leather arm chairs while he was on the phone to the manager of the service company having a gentle 'word'.

"You understand exactly what it will mean if you do not get your repair man here by tomorrow afternoon don't you Tom?" Vincent had threatened to get them all fired – Morgan knew that this was indeed possible.

Later on that afternoon as the sun was beginning to set Brian and Morgan walked up the path from the parking space they had for their cars at the house they were living in.

"Well, it's going to be interesting to see if the repair guys show up by tomorrow night. There were a few choice words being thrown around the place and a few threats... Should be interesting."

Brian just nodded while reaching into his pocket to find the house keys, Morgan had left her set inside that morning therefore he was their only means of access to the house at that time.

She felt quite like he was shunning her at that moment by the way he didn't really repsond to her statement at all, other than a nod and slight mumbling sound.

When they got inside she went straight to the kitchen bench and picked up the remote control for the air conditioner and turned it on, then proceeded to take off her heels and let her hair down, raking her fingers through it and shaking it out in the process.

Brian on the other hand went straight toward the couch and the television remote that was sitting on the coffee table.

He mentioned something to her about a show playing and she just mumbled a 'mmm' as she walked straight down the hall and into her room. Fobbing him off just as he had her moments ago.

When they were entering the house he hadn't really meant to ignore her when she started talking to him and he didn't think anything of it until her reaction to what he had just said to her.

Sighing with frustration he sunk back into the cushioned couch and flicked through the stations before settling on an episode of Top Gear.

Rome pulled up outside and entered the house – hearing the sounds of the television he excitedly rushed over and jumped on the couch next to his friend to catch the new episode.

_'can't waste time just give it a moment.. I realise nothing's broken'_

Morgan heard raucous laughter coming from the lounge room and wandered from her room wondering exactly what they were watching – some British show with guys driving ridiculously long cars in London.

She smiled when one of the cars got stuck going around a corner and joined in the laughter when one of them broke apart; she looked over at Brian and Rome, Brian's eyes were welling up he was laughing so hard.

She liked to see him like that, that was really the first time since they'd been back living together that she had seen him laugh that hard.

---

Monica held the bottle of wine in her hand so tight she thought any moment it was going to explode into a million little pieces; there in his bed was a girl, definitely not her, there he was scrambling off of her and covering himself up trying to chase her down the hall.

She stormed out of the house and he managed to make it to the front door before she could open it – he stretched his arm out and pushed her hand away from the door knob with his.

"Baby, I swear it's not what you think!" he pleaded with her.

Monica gave him an expression that was a mixture of amusement and incredible pain.

"Don't ever call me again you lying asshole, IT'S OVER." Monica yelled at him and shoved him away from her and slammed the door behind herself.

She drove straight home, praying that no one was there. Much to her dismay there were three cars in the driveway belonging to her room mates.

Pushing the tears away from her cheeks angrily she slammed the car door and jogged up the steps, sliding the glass door open three sets of eyes looked at her enter.

"Oh right Rome, you're the big expert on tuning. I can't believe I for-" Brian stopped mid-sentence and his audience turned their attention on their roommate who stormed down the hall.

Rome and Brian looked at each other and Morgan shook her head as she stood up and shoved the pillow she had been cradling back on the armchair.

"She caught him." was all she said as she went down the hall and gently wrapped her knuckles on the door, "Mon, it's me do you want to talk?"

Monica was sitting on the edge of her bed, tears streaming profusely down her cheeks as she hung up on an incoming call from James.

Monica couldn't answer her at that minute all she wanted was to be alone.

Morgan sighed and walked back out into the lounge room, Rome was in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on their dinner, he'd outdone himself by making steak sandwiches.

--

1997 (2 months after Morgan arrived in LA)

She sat on the lounge chair drumming her fingers against her jean clad thigh waiting for someone to pick up on the other end of the line. Having just showered her wet ponytail was still dripping a little down the back of her neck; however after the heat of the day she found it refreshing rather than annoying.

"Hello?"

"Dad! It's Morgan, how are you doing?"

Kevin smiled, she'd only been his foster daughter for a few years but his family and her fit together perfectly. He wished that he could tell her that before his wife died they were drawing up adoption papers but he thought it would be too painful to go back over. In his heart he knew she felt loved by them.

"I'm not doin too bad sweet pea, how's 'the big scary city' treatin ya?"

She laughed at him quoting her. "They're great actually," she smiled as she wound the phone cable around her index finger.

"Um new job is going pretty well; haven't really done anything too spectacular yet, but we're only rookies so they're building us up to it."

"And..." Kevin could tell by the sound of her voice she was bursting to tell him a lot more.

"And..." she sighed, "I've met some great people since I've been down here. I'm really feeling a lot more comfortable now, I'm still homesick for Seattle but I'm getting used to LA."

"So besides my life in the big city Dad, what's been up with you? I feel like it's been ages since we last talked."

Turning the tap on to wash the left over suds down the drain, Kevin hung up the wet tea towel and wiped his wet hands on the legs of his pants. "Nothing too exciting, just trying to keep Jess sane while she's getting through first semester. Haven't really done anything exciting at work, we're still on the Samson account – feels like it's never going to end."

Morgan laughed, Kevin was an architect in a big office in Seattle, he'd been working on a particular account now for a new shopping mall for the last year, "Then one day when you're grey and old you're going to miss it and say to yourself, 'I wish I still had the Samson account'."

Kevin burst out with sarcastic laughter, "you're hilarious kid."

"But back to you, you haven't really said much about this guy from work you were going to dinner with last time I called you," Kevin couldn't wait to bring up the topic again, find out all the gossip.

"Oh.. Things are going pretty well actually, I dunno why Dad; but this really feels like it might go somewhere. He's not usually my 'type' but we just seem to click..." Morgan played with the fraying material of the red couch.

"You know what, even if it goes no where – I'd love to stay friends..."

"Wow kiddo, sounds exciting. Just remember to tell him I'm a black belt.."

"Um, black belt in what?" she laughed.

"Doesn't matter – just tell him I'm a black belt, if he hurts you he should know I'm comin' after him with my hockey stick."

Morgan could do nothing but smile and shake her head, "if you can't hear I'm shaking my head at you."

"Oh I could hear.."

Kevin's doorbell rang, "Morgy someone's at the door, I'll call you again tomorrow night ok?"

At the same time someone knocked on Morgan's door as well, "someone's at my door as well... You're definitely still in Seattle aren't you?"

He laughed, "definitely, I'll talk to you tomorrow sweet heart. Love you."

"You too, have a good night."

They both hung up.

Morgan placed the phone down and the person knocked again, "hang on!"

She was trying to get there as quickly as possible but she'd wound herself up in blankets and it was difficult to get herself untangled.

Brian stood outside her door with two bags of Chinese take away food and two bottles of lemonade, he heard her fumbling around and smiled as he looked down the street.

"Ow, ouch!" he heard her cursing as the door was unlocked and pulled open, a flustered Morgan standing on the other side dressed in jeans and a grey t-shirt bearing the symbol of her old university in Seattle, she had completed a degree in foreign languages not long before she entered the police academy.

"Hey, you alright there? I think you might need this more than I thought." He laughed and lifted the bags of food up a little to draw attention to them.

"Hey, you brought me food?" she smiled broadly.

"You're just my hero right now, come in, come in!" she reached up and gave him a kiss on the cheek as he moved through the door and into her lounge room.

"Janey's not home?" he asked following her into the kitchen and putting the bags down on the bench.

"Nah, she had to work nightshift at the hospital and she's going to a friends house after that," Morgan yawned as she started sifting through the bags to see what he had brought.

- - -

Monica hadn't gotten out of bed yet and Rome was outside washing his car the next morning, Brian was sat at the table reading a car magazine and writing in a notepad which was next to it.

Morgan was clattering around the kitchen trying to find the certain saucepan she needed to make herself breakfast.

"Hey, have you seen the really small saucepan?"

Brian looked up from his magazine, "tried the dishwasher?"

Morgan nodded, raising her eyebrow "I am infact having a 'girl' look right now, any other ideas?"

"Rome loaded the dishwasher is all I'm saying, the way he usually piles stuff in there it's most likely inside of another larger pot."

They had a small stare off, she turned away and pulled the dishwasher open again, she lifted the largest pan up and found it.

He had gone back to his magazine while she was sifting through the dishwasher again, he stopped and looked up though when it went quiet, "find it?"

"You just go back to whatever you're doing right there, ok!" Morgan pointed toward the magazine and notepad on the table, he just laughed – he knew she hated being corrected so early in the day.

Morgan finished cooking her breakfast and brought it over to the table, Brian was still reading and writing.

"What's the list?"

"In the process of looking at new cars, just writing down some numbers, et-cetera."

Morgan nodded and took a bite out of a piece of toast as she dragged another magazine from the middle of the table toward her.

She was flipping through the pages of the glossy auto magazine when she stumbled upon an article about a tricked out Eclipse the same year as hers.

"Wow, this looks pretty good." She commented.

"The Eclipse?"

"Yeah," she nodded as he looked up and met her eyes for a second.

"Rome's into them; they don't do much for me."

"I have one the same year as this guy's. However mine is a big piece of rubbish."

Brian nodded, "I think it's the next page over, there's a red Mitsubishi Evolution, I'm narrowing it down to one of those – it's not going to be an easy task on getting one this soon, but maybe once I'm home I can get onto it."

Morgan flipped the page over, not seeing anything but ads for parts she flipped again and saw a page covered in the car Brian was describing, she nodded in approval.

"It's nice."

He laughed, "just don't look at the price tag."

She looked down the bottom of the page and saw the price listed, coughed a little and looked up to meet his eyes again, "I see all of your payslips remember."

He gave a small shrug, "guess so."

They both went silent for a few moments and Morgan shook her head as she thought back on how when they were together they barely had that amount between them to live on – let alone buy a car with.

"That's a lot of money for a car.." She was shaking her head with a small smile on her face.

He knew exactly what she was getting at, when they'd been together they would never have spent that much on anything other than the house – however they never had that sort of money when they were together.

Morgan had student loans to pay back as well as her share in the mortgage and bills and Brian had similar problems. They never cried poor, but they also lived a very modest lifestyle at times.

He grinned at her and went back to writing.

Morgan closed the magazine and pressed her hands onto the tops of her thighs, "Right, I'm going to go and wake that girl up and see how she is."

She got up and started down the hallway, knocked lightly on Monica's door and found it was unlocked so she began to slowly push it open.

"Good morning sleepy." She said softly as she sat beside an exhausted looking Monica, "did you sleep at all?"

Monica sat up slowly and rubbed her face, she'd only managed about 2 hours of very light, disturbed sleep at the most. "Not a lot."

Morgan gave her a knowing look and put her hand on her Monica's shoulder.

"You know what – he had the nerve to say 'it's not what it looks like?'" Monica sniffed and then the tears started again.

Morgan wrapped her into a hug and just let her cry for a little bit. She remembered herself the night she'd left Brian, she was absolutely distraught and Bly did exactly the same thing for her.

"Just let it out, believe me you'll feel better for it." Morgan rubbed her back as sobs racked through Monica.

Roman walked into the kitchen casually after waking up, seeing Brian at the table he sat down next to him and pulled the magazine out of his friend's hand.

"Evo the way to go now huh?" he asked Brian.

"Yeah I think so, but I'm also thinking about changing the Skyline around a little bit more, I'm getting sick of the paint work and the rest."

Rome just nodded, "I was waiting for you to do that anyway."

Brian just laughed lightly before deciding to change the subject, "have you seen Monica? How do you think she's going?"

Rome just looked a bit sad and shrugged, "I feel sorry for her bro, that must've been shitty to walk in on your guy doing that. I don't think she has the best record with guys, I mean Carter Verone, you.."

Brian punched him in the arm hard with a smile on his face, "you are just jealous bro, I swear."

"Oh yeah man I love your sloppy seconds," Rome replied.

"Well I guess Tanya was a good example." Brian threw that little remark in to really have a go at his friend.

Rome laughed, "oh she was sloppy alright."

Brian smiled at him as Morgan came back out frowning a little.

"How is she?" he asked her as she started searching through the cupboards for another box of tissues.

"Um, she walked in on her boyfriend having sex with another woman... and he said 'it's not what it looks like'. So she's feeling pretty shitty right now," Morgan replied, not to be sarcastic to Brian but really just making her point.

The two men at the table just nodded in agreeance and didn't really offer much input from there.

"Ok, I'm going to drop these off to her. If anyone's staying home today just make sure she eats something and I'm going to work now so I'll probably see you later Brian, and Romey my darling I'll see you tonight!"

Brian just nodded and went back to what he was doing, Rome gave her a toothy grin.

Later that day Morgan was sitting at her desk taking Vincent's calls and working through the payroll. Paying off Brian for being his head thug, paying off her, paying off Rome, paying off the local coast guard and cops, paying off the Cuban army and Fidel Castro, paying off his lab rats. The list went on; she actually liked paying the humble electricity or phone bills – at least that was something, she felt that was legitimate.

She always enjoyed the bills that could just be paid through the normal process rather than the funneling of dirty money into another's dirty Swiss bank account.

The breeze was wafting through the open window of the small office she had that was adjoining to Vincent's. She decided, even though the air conditioner was fixed that she would have the window open.

The day, for Nassau, was quite temperate. A warm breeze blew, the humidity was significantly less strangulating than usual and the sun was shielded through a moderate cloud cover for most of the day.

Brian walked down the hall of the palacial residence heading straight for the kitchen, hoping to score a bowl of Lupe's ministrone soup and some fresh bread for lunch. Lupe was one of the main housekeepers that Vincent employed, she was a wise, funny older Spanish woman that Brian had encountered one day when he was sitting down to lunch with Deluka.

Since then he had formed a lunch-time relationship with her, she would always save him something on the side from the lunches she made for Vincent, his much younger, rarely seen wife Elizabeth Anne and Vincent's 'clients' and 'friends' that were constantly moving through the compound.

Morgan walked briskly through the kitchen door and stumbled upon Brian and Lupe the housekeeper having a conversation in Spanish. They were both laughing about something as she interrupted them by walking into the room.

Lupe turned and smiled at Morgan as she came into the room, "You need something to eat young lady."

Brian was very much content sitting down to his hot bowl of minestrone with a piece of warm brown bread for dipping; he knew Morgan had as much of a taste for minestrone as he did and didn't half mind the thought of her joining he and Lupe over lunch.

However he wasn't surprised when Morgan insisted she was fine and grabbed a bottle of water and an apple from the large fridge.

"Do you two still share a house?" Lupe asked Brian once Morgan had left the room.

Brian nodded, "don't worry she eats plenty at home." He assured Lupe, she gave him a sceptical grin and took Brian's bowl just as he had finished.

He wiped his mouth and got up to help her clean up. "Here let me help," he offered.

Vincent had made sure Lupe had the best dishwasher money could buy in the kitchen, however she only used it a few times a week – preferring the good old fashioned method of hand washing.

Lupe tried to decline Brian's offer, but he picked up the tea towel anyway and wiped everything dry for her as she washed.

As they were washing and drying, Lupe started to ask Brian a few questions.

"How's the love life going?" she smirked at him and he just shook his head.

"It's not!"

"Well then what are you waiting for?" she exclaimed.

He chuckled, "you know somethin', I've been trying to figure that one out for a few years now. Still don't know."

"Well, is there someone that you're waiting on – or you're just not finding the right girls?"

"Can I say, a bit of both?"

He walked over to the glass cupboard with two crystal wine glasses in hand, "I mean on one hand I feel like I've been waiting around on one girl to magically forgive and forget everything and come back to me with open arms, and on the other hand I don't know why I'm being so stupid waiting – because I know she's not really waiting on me."

Lupe shook her head, "do you know this for sure? Have you ever thought to lay all the cards out on the table and ask?"

He pulled a twisted expression and Lupe laughed, "come on!" he whined.

She smacked his cheek lightly, "so you're waiting around, but not really waiting around for a girl who might or might not still feel the same way as you; but you don't really want to ask?"

He nodded smiling.

"I don't understand you young ones anymore."

"Yeah, me either."

She laughed and pushed him out the kitchen door before he offered to help with anything else.

Brian thanked her and smiled as he walked down the hall shaking his head.

When someone laid out his anguish so simply it made him feel like a buffoon.


End file.
